Birth plan blues: When childbirth doesn’t go as planned
By Malia Jacobson For the birth of her first child in 2011, Charla Ojala envisioned a simple, uncomplicated birth at a carefully chosen birth center minutes away from her home. She hoped for all the components of a gentle, low-intervention birth:
Becoming a man
My eldest son will turn 13 this week, the age in many cultures when a boy is considered to become a man and to start occupying a more adult role in his family and community. Certain traditions mark this coming-of-age
Busy hands
It’s March Break! Unfortunately, I have no absolute cure for the craziness you’re probably enduring right now, but here are a few hints: 1) Get them to help. Help with what, you ask? With anything and everything. Each of my kids
Sharing your feelings
I come from a family of five boys, and I have three boys of my own. I’ve played and coached sports all my life. I’ve also worked a fair amount in “macho” settings like factories and construction. All of which
Take the stress out of packing for March Break travel
By Susan Toth March Break is around the corner. Your vacation destination awaits you and your family. Have you started to think about what to pack? Planning ahead will make your travel experience and the fun adventures ahead of you far
Jamaican me crazy
By Christine Davis There’s an old saying that goes: Once you have kids you no longer go on vacation, you take trips. But what if you could take a vacation – one in which both parents and children can relax, explore and
Tapping into the sweet season
By Jane Muller Canada tastes like maple syrup. Maple sap simmered to its sweet golden state is a technique inherited from Canada’s First Nations and savoured by all who posses a sweet tooth. Syrup season is in March, when the sap freezes
What Not To Say
As an adoptive parent, I some times hear some pretty insensitive things. It’s not that people are intending to be rude (not usually, anyway). It’s just that they haven’t really thought through what it might be like to be in
Get ready to party on Sesame Street
By Christine Davis This weekend the way to Sesame Street is via Rose Cherry Place as the Sesame Street community takes over Mississauga’s Hershey Centre on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 24 and 25. This all-new, interactive show unfolds on one of the
Babies for sale: Navigating the grey areas of assisted human reproduction
By Christine Davis There is just one aspect of women’s reproductive health that is still attached to criminal code: Assisted reproduction. Under the Assisted Human Reproduction Act, it is criminally indictable to pay for a surrogate, intermediary, gamets (sperm or ova), embryo
Getting Motivated
I’ve always been a pretty self-motivated person. If I think something is worth doing, I don’t generally need people to give me a pep talk in order to get it done. If I think something is the right thing to
Do something different this Family Day in Halton and Hamilton
By Christine Davis One day of the year is designated to families enjoying time together. This year, why not do Family Day a little differently and spend your time outside? In Hamilton, Valens Lake Conservation Area offers skating on the frozen lake,
Cool Stuff February 2018
By Christine Davis ezClean Bapron A bib and apron in one, this Bapron by BapronBaby contour's a toddler’s body for a comfortable fit from size 6 months to 3T. They won’t feel constricted when eating or exploring sensory activities and they
Discovering a Different South
We’re fair weather travellers. Neither myself, husband Mark or 17-year-old daughter Kate are content to lie on a crowded beach and soak up the sun as we’d much rather be on the move making new discoveries in a temperate climate.
Game on Girls: Hockey moms hitting the ice
By Kinjal Dagli Shah Growing up in the west island of Montreal, Christina Cameron watched her brother play hockey and was hooked. It was 1982, however, and only boys were allowed to play hockey. “I was only 4-years old so my
Olympic flame sparks pursuit of outdoor fun
By Jane Muller The flame of Olympic fever has been ignited for those of us who get drawn into the games, watching as many events as possible. Despite the fact that our best male hockey players won’t be there and the
I was scared to tell you
Almost two months ago, a friend came over to play and lost his phone. We searched everywhere for it, but couldn’t find a trace. The kid was sure he’d brought it. My kids were sure they’d seen it. Even I
Sea Bass with a pistachio crust
SERVES: 6 This dish comes together quickly and is delicious paired with green beans and roasted potatoes. It's a bit on the rich side, so I suggest using fillets no more than 5 ounces each. If using one large fillet, you
Recycling car seats
By Christine Davis Since the use of child car safety seats became law in the mid-1980s, they’ve been filling landfills as they become damaged, expired, or no longer needed. In 2017, not-for-profit organization Green Propeller Recycling Limited conducted research showing that car
Taking Care of Your Child’s Teeth: An Age-by-Age Guide
By Meagan Ruffing February is National Dental Hygiene month which means it’s a great time to get your kids on board with learning how to brush their teeth and actually enjoying it. No more battling your kids to take responsibility for