5 Health Areas for All the Men in Your Life to Focus on
Did you know in a study performed by the Cleveland Clinic, more than 70% of men said they would rather do household chores than go to the doctor? As we watch the men in our lives grow from boyhood into
Unapologetic Truths – The Realities of Postpartum We Don’t Talk About
WORDS BY Yalda Kazemi Releasing her first book, Unapologetic Truths: The Realities of Postpartum We Don’t Talk About, author, mental health advocate, stylist and mom, Yalda Kazemi, courageously shares her story of battling and ultimately overcoming severe postpartum mental illness in
Walking through COVID-19
“The toe bone’s connected to the foot bone, the foot bone’s connected to the ankle bone, the ankle bone’s connected to the leg bone.” Sound familiar? Well, considering each foot is made up of 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments,
Orthodontic braces have evolved
Smaller brackets, tooth-coloured options and even plastic aligners have largely replaced traditional metal braces. Braces have evolved considerably over the years. With new technologies available, plus an acknowledgment that braces are a necessity for people of various ages and not just
Who is Karli
By Sara Dimerman Sesame Street celebrated its 50th anniversary in November 2019. Funny how the long-loved characters Elmo, the Cookie Monster, Bert, Ernie and friends, never age. What has changed, however, is some of this well reputed show's content. Gone are the
Climate change’s connection to anxiety and depression
By Sandi Schwartz Hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires, droughts, rising sea levels. These are not topics for the faint of heart. But the reality today is that these types of natural disasters are on the rise due to climate change, and more people
How to safeguard children with special needs from bullying
By Malia Jacobson When young Cody joined the peer inclusion preschool at his neighborhood public school, he fit in from the start. His class was a mix of neurotypical “peer mentors” and children with disabilities, including students like Cody with apraxia
Bullying then and now
I was rarely bullied as a kid. It wasn’t because I was cool. Just the opposite. I was a huge geek, but I was also just plain huge. So I’m sure that other kids made fun of my behind my
Vaccinations
I generally keep away from politically touchy subjects in this column, not because I don’t have opinions on those subjects, but because I don’t think that public forums are a very effective place to raise difficult issues. People’s emotions usually
Passing the torch: Olympians’ stories aim to inspire kids
By Marylene Vestergom By sharing stories of Canadian athletes, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) hopes its new multimedia series “Pursue” provides inspiration and, most importantly, life lessons that kids Grade 2- 12 can connect with and apply in their own lives. Since
Childhood food allergies linked to skin
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says four out of every 100 children has a food allergy, and such numbers are on the rise. While the mechanisms by which a person develops an allergy to specific foods
Giving Them Something to Run With
I wrote a few weeks back about how kids will often surprise us with their initiative, dedication, and passion if we actually give them opportunities to take leadership and ownership of what they do. I’ve since had that conversation with
Healthy minds
I feel that one of my jobs as a parent is to expand my children’s cultural horizons beyond the commercialized pop culture bubble that mainstream media implies is the only culture worth knowing. They’re not always convinced that this is
The brain + body equation
By Christine Davis The benefits of exercise are many and new research from ParticipACTION now shows that students who exercise before a test show stronger brain function than those who don’t. “Evidence shows that kids who are active for 15-20 minutes
Don’t use the ‘D’ word
By Christine Davis When Weight Watchers announced plans to launch a teen program, offering free six-week memberships to teens from 13-18 with an adult membership, the backlash was fast. “I think their hearts are in the right place,” says registered dietician and
Top 5 Questions About Lice Answered
Hey Parents, school’s out and summer’s here - time to catch some rays, make a splash, and enjoy the great outdoors. But not so fast moms and dads…just because the kids are on vacation, doesn’t mean headlice is too! Many parents
Where Your Goat is Tied
When I was a kid, the eldest of five boys, one of my mother’s favourite sayings was, “Don’t let him know where your goat is tied.” Now, we reasoned from the context that she meant, “Don’t let your brother know what
Speaking for Themselves
I often see parents speak for their children. An Aunt asks, “So, Jane, what have you been doing at school?” but before Jane can say anything, Dad interjects, “Jane’s doing great at school. She’s getting almost straight A’s, and she’s joined
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
