The book addresses an audience of parents, teachers, educators and grandparents, whether these be Montrealers, visitors or tourists. The notion of what constitutes a family seems to be ever-changing as are the roles that parents play. In 2000, I was one of first stay-at-home dads and now there are many. Single parent households and divorced parents (like myself) are now becoming common, meaning that the task of raising children is becoming much more complicated. But of all the different jobs that I have worked in my life; none is more challenging, more rewarding, or more important than parenting. It is my hope that this book will help make parenting a little easier and a lot more fun for you.

Strong families are built on good memories and this book lists over 500 ideas for places that you can take your kids, mostly within an hour's drive of Montreal. Good memories are easy to create in attractive places that are fun to visit. It also helps if these places are not too expensive and the index thus lists 44 free outings. Reading through these pages, you will also agree that many paying sites remain a bargain. Because not everyone has a car or chooses to use one, indications are often given in this book for how to arrive at the various destinations by public transportation or even by bicycle.

J.S. February 2008