Teaching children about love
Every February, supermarkets and stores nationwide adorn their aisles with heart-shaped trinkets, red and pink ribbons and lots of chocolates
Fostering Heroism
November 14 to 18 will be Anti-Bullying Week 2011. I agree with the general spirit of the initiative but it is my opinion that anti-bullying programs only beget more bullying. This might sound controversial so let me explain. I believe
The importance of teaching conflict resolution
Children are never too young to start working on developing, and fine-tuning, their interpersonal conflict strategies
Keep Kid’s Needs in Mind When Christmas Shopping
In a perfect world, holiday shopping would take place free from crowds
How to teach gratitude
Many parents fear their child will grow up to be spoiled. Sometimes it’s easier to give in to a child’s demands than to hear the whining, crying, and complaining. But children who always get what they want grow up with
Simple ways to teach children charitable giving
Simple ways to teach children charitable giving. By Jennifer Vaughn. Giving to others has proven benefits of increasing overall life-satisfaction, and in children, has been shown to reduce problem behaviours. Studies conducted within the pa
Make Mother
The history of Mother’s Day dates back to ancient Greece to honour the goddess, Rhea, who was said to be the mother of all gods. In England, Christians celebrated a day for Mary, the mother of Christ, during the 1600s.
TV Reviews for May 2009
Spectacular! (YTV): Musical competitions are everywhere on reality TV, so no surprise such sing-offs are showing up in TV movies too. This one features Canadian Nolan Gerard Funk of Smallville fame. He plays Nikko, a rocker dude dumped by h
The couple connection
While expecting junior number one, my wife and I actually got sick of hearing the words “your life is going to change” from all the parents around us. “Tell us something we don't know,” was our first reaction to those
Powerful questions for parents to ponder
Ahhh December … full of winter festivities and celebrations … AND report cards! These too hopefully will provide your family a reason to celebrate. However, regardless of the marks and comments contained within, report cards do provide
Putting the eco in economical
If you’re a stock-watcher, you likely have vertigo from all the ups and downs of the past year. And with the holidays looming, you might be wondering just where you’re going to get the “green” to purchase presents. However,&nb
Share your Thanksgiving with orphans
The children at Alpha Cottage orphanage in near Harare, Zimbabwe, have a song they sing for visitors: "We want to thank you, thank you! We want to thank you, thank you! We want to thank you for the rest of
Writers that deliver the info
Information books can offer young readers a smorgasbord of delights. Here is a mixed bag of topics well presented.
Frieda Wishinsky and Elizabeth MacLeod give us Everything But the Kitchen Sink: Weird Stuff You Didn’t Know About
Practicing the art of possibility
One of the magical qualities of September, is the opportunity it provides students to experience a "fresh start"—a chance to wipe away any past failures or misgivings and begin again. However, not everyone takes advantage of thi
Questions that baffle us
Someone much wiser than I often tells me that one of the most important aspects of being a parents is taking time for our own relationships. Since that “someone” is my mother-in-law, I'm actually allowed – in very specific situations
Not your average children
Remarkable children are fascinating. In the following stories we meet children, some from real life, some fictional, who not only achieve more than the average person, but also seem able to endure more hardships.
Staying with friends
The notion of visiting friends and family is attractive – particularly when you have young children. After all, everyone wants to reconnect, people want to get to know the children and be part of their lives, and there are many
Separation and faith issues
Question: My wife and I separated three months ago. How should I talk about my ex to my kids? Are there some do’s and don’ts?
Sticker charts revisited
Let word of your toddler's new-found fascination with his potty make the rounds at the next family get-together and you're bound to find yourself on the receiving end of a lot of potty-centric trivia and advice: which members of the
