Hardest part
I’m often asked by new or soon-to be parents (as I suspect many of you have been asked) what the hardest part of parenting is. I usually have two answers: The first, which I think I’ve written about before, and which
Glue, paper, scissors rock
By Jane Muller I associate the sound of scissors cutting through construction paper with Mr. Dressup and the craft projects he demonstrated on his long-running television show. It’s a rhythmic seesawing sound as the blades snip along a deliberate path that transforms a
First date
So my eldest son is planning his first date. To be clear, the girl in question has been his friend-not-my-girlfriend for a number of years now, and I don’t think that status has officially changed. He first told us about her
So much mess
I need to begin by admitting that I’m not the neatest person in the world. I’m not exactly a slob either – I don’t like clutter, and I don’t like dirt – but I’m generally okay with things being a
How to talk to kids about marijuana
By Dr. Yashar Khosroshahi With the legalization of marijuana upon us in Canada, it’s important to open up the dialogue around cannabis in our homes and with our children. Change is always met with a mix bag of emotions, and this time
For the Love of the Game
My middle son, who had been playing rep level soccer as recently as September, has decided to switch his attention to basketball. The choice is partly because so many of his friends play basketball, and partly because of club issues
Magical money leaves them toothless for toonies
By Jane Muller The tooth fairy is a major source of income for kids. Not sure about the logistics of her delivery system but it’s best that little ones don’t think about it too hard. The tooth comes out, money gets
Too Many Funerals
It’s been a rough few months around our family when it comes to great-grandparents. At the beginning of the year, my wife and I had all four of our grandmothers between us still living. Then my dad’s mother passed away in
Three Things I don’t Know About You
I’ve mentioned before that I try to do “devotions” with my kids before they leave for school each morning. Despite the name, this time isn’t necessarily or even frequently religious in nature (though the name does come from the idea
Be afraid, be very afraid
I was never truly afraid until I had children. That’s not to say that I was never in some scary situations. I’ve been in more than one car crash. I’ve been lost and alone in Killarney National Park for almost 24
Device addiction
If you’ve read this column at all over the past six years, you’ll know that I’m not an alarmist. I tend to approach parenting (and pretty much everything else for that matter) with a healthy dose of skepticism. When I
When a Bad Husband is Still a Good Father
By Tammy Letherer I had been divorced for a couple years when my former husband called with a surprise. Thankfully, it wasn’t the type of surprise he delivered the night he sat me at the table and told me he had
Back into routine
I can’t tell you how glad I am to be back into a routine. I’m not saying I’m glad that school has started and that I’m working full hours again. Not exactly. I’m not saying I’m glad that the holidays are
The Terrible Twos vs. The Terrible Teens
By Pam Molnar While picking up my prescription at Walgreens last week, the woman in front of me had two small children. I guessed their ages to be 4 and 2. It was around dinner time and everyone was in meltdown
When dog ownership doesn’t add up
By Jane Muller If there isn’t a dog in your life, it’s likely that the possibility of having one has been discussed. A family pet completes the picture. In some families a furry child was the first. Couples may not realize
How to handle your child’s first crush
By Sandra Gordon “Oh, how cute.” That’s what crossed my mind when a boy from summer camp asked my oldest daughter, who was in Grade 4 at the time, to go to the movies. (She said “No!” then ran from the
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
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
Parenting differently
I love all my kids just as much. I don’t love them all the same, because different people need to be loved differently, but I love them all just as much. It’s not something that I need to work particularly
Finding birth parents
We just yesterday got in contact with my youngest son’s birth parents, a process that has taken us something like six years. We started looking almost immediately, using the official channels of Family and Children’s Services. In theory they’ve had the
