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
Bad Parents Anonymous
There’s something that needs to be said about parenting that too few people are willing to say – “It’s normal to feel bad at this.” It’s normal to be unsure about how to deal with a particular situation. It’s normal to
Rewriting the Christmas list
By Kinjal Dagli-Shah Lee-Ann Satari and her husband Ali made a meaningful change to their Christmas tradition last year. The family decided to quit buying gifts for each other and told their children that Santa isn’t real but his spirit is.
How to Talk to Girls
As a father of three sons, one of the things I worry about is teaching them to treat women with respect. Now, when I say this to people (especially to men), I often get a sort of wide-eyed, all-too-naive response. “Don’t
Not Too Old To Cuddle
I get it that kids become less dependant on physical affection from their parents as they grow older. They move from babies who constantly need to be picked up, rocked, and held, to children who only need hugs when they’re
Going to the dance
Ah, grade school dances – kids standing around awkwardly in homogeneously gendered groups, eating snacks, sneaking lots of glances across the room, but doing precious little dancing. Those currently “in a relationship” venturing out at last, trying not to look
Bed time
I don’t know if other parents experience this, but bedtime misbehaviour seems to come in waves around our house. We’ll go for months with relatively few problems, all the kids getting through their bedtime routine and heading off to sleep
What parents need to know about streaming video
By Melissa Henson The temptation for parents of young children to make the switch from terrestrial broadcast and cable television to streaming video is powerful. I know. I’ve been there. Frustrated by the non-stop efforts to market junk food, video games, cheap
What to consider before using GPS to track your kid
By Carolyn Jabs Sooner or later, most parents lose a kid—usually for only a few minutes. A toddler figures out how to open an unlatched door. A kindergartener heads off to investigate something in another grocery aisle. A school age child gets
