Skateboard Birthday
My middle son turned 10 this week, so I took him and a pack of his friends to the new skate park in Rockwood, a village not far from our home city. I’m not a birthday party lover, not the way
Too much stuff
My kids were given some toys by a friend the other day. Actually, the word “some” is a bit of an understatement. They were given three large tupperware totes of Halo Mega Bloks figures, vehicles, and sundry building pieces. We’re
Doing it the old fashioned way
I took my kids to an early settler farmhouse museum yesterday. We’ve been to these sorts of things before, and they’re always fun, but there was an especially good guide at this one who really got the kids into the
Archery
I was tasked to help one of the leaders at camp this week, supervising the older kids, between 9- and 13-years old. She’s a lovely woman, with experience as a social worker, a school teacher, and a Sunday school teacher.
It’s hip to be in Goderich’s square
By Stephanie Redmond It’s touted as “the prettiest town in Canada” and Goderich is indeed, really pretty. Take a short, few hours drive from the GTA, along beautiful country roads and you’ll find yourself in this historic down. Settled in 1827 on
Tips for families on the move
By Sara Marchessault Did you ever move when you were a kid? Not leaving your family home to go to college, but the move that happens when you have no choice or control. When you leave the life you knew behind
Cooking with the kids
By Catarina Muia Picky eaters. Everyone knows at least one person who doesn’t even need to open the menu at a restaurant because they know they’re getting those chicken fingers for the zillionth time. How does a person become this way
Tapping into the gifts of nature this summer
By Ben Klasky Spending time in nature is good for our families. We know this intuitively as well as from a growing body of scientific research. Time spent being active outdoors has been demonstrated to decrease stress and depression, while also increasing concentration,
Book Shelf
By Jane Muller The Lost Picnic By B. B. Cronin Be sure to enjoy a picnic with your family this summer but be careful to secure the lid of the picnic basket. As the title of this story implies, for this family, the
Cool Stuff
By Christine Davis The World of Eric Carle backpack and lunchbag Inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar, this colourful backpack and matching lunchbag is specially designed for children who are 38 to 42 inches tall. The backpack features a large, durable zipper, two
Lose less learning with epic new app
By Christine Davis ‘Tis the season for summer slide, “the regress in learning children have because they’re not engaged or challenged academically,” says educator Renee Cunningham. According to studies, students can lose up to two months of learning if they don’t
Heatstroke prevention tips for parents
With August upon us and the heat of the summer in full swing, it’s a good time to reflect on the dangers of heatstroke’s for young children. Since 1998, 721 children have died of heatstroke after being left in a
Going back home
By Kinjal Dagli-Shah One of the first things we planned when our daughter was born six years ago was a trip to India, the country of her origin. At nine months old, she met all of our extended family and spent
How to prevent toe walking
By Dianne Woodruff, CMA, PhD Children often develop toe walking because they have been helped by some well-meaning relative/caregiver. The relative sees that the child naturally picks up one foot when the other is on the ground, or the lap, or wherever
Potty Training On the Go: You Can Do It
When you first make the transition to underwear, you may feel tempted to stay at home for the rest of your life. But at some point, you will have to conquer public bathrooms and toilets. The following tips and ideas
Activity registration child’s play
By Christine Davis Kids are notorious for changing their minds about activities. They want to be a yogi one day and a baseball player the next. It’s fine to change your mind and great to try new things, but it’s frustrating,
Get the back-to-school ball rolling
By Christine Davis Back to school is just around the corner and most parents and students alike tend to procrastinate on those preparations says Katherine Firestone, founder of Fireborn Institute. “Parents are just as bad as kids,” she admits, waiting until
It’s All About Birth Order Baby
By Laura Lyles Reagan How should birth order data affect parenting? Parenting expert, Dr. Gail Gross summarizes the existing roles and research on birth order by naming the first born as the achiever, the middle child as the peacemaker and the youngest
Give them the good stuff
Not all parents might care, I know. The trouble is that I’m not just a parent. I’m also a writer, a music lover, and a film buff. I read, write, publish, teach, and promote books. Over the years I’ve taught
Naming what you’re feeling
It’s not always easy to communicate to kids in a way they understand. This is true even in the most obvious sense, that they sometimes lack the experience and the knowledge to understand ideas that are more subtle or complex.