Snow days in April
Today is a snow day. Or, more precisely, it’s a sleety freezing rain day, which means that all the kids are home and that I’m writing this to the sound of one child playing video games, another watching cartoons, and a
Letting Go
Every family gets to the point where it stops growing. For some families this is a deliberate choice they make (I think we have enough kids now), and for some the choice is made for them (whether through infertility or
Broadening Your Community
One of the things that I’ve found myself saying more and more as time goes on, whether I’m teaching an adoption course, or leading a writing workshop, or just chatting with friends, is this – “broaden your community”. This can mean
Becoming a man
My eldest son will turn 13 this week, the age in many cultures when a boy is considered to become a man and to start occupying a more adult role in his family and community. Certain traditions mark this coming-of-age
Busy hands
It’s March Break! Unfortunately, I have no absolute cure for the craziness you’re probably enduring right now, but here are a few hints: 1) Get them to help. Help with what, you ask? With anything and everything. Each of my kids
Sharing your feelings
I come from a family of five boys, and I have three boys of my own. I’ve played and coached sports all my life. I’ve also worked a fair amount in “macho” settings like factories and construction. All of which
Take the stress out of packing for March Break travel
By Susan Toth March Break is around the corner. Your vacation destination awaits you and your family. Have you started to think about what to pack? Planning ahead will make your travel experience and the fun adventures ahead of you far
Jamaican me crazy
By Christine Davis There’s an old saying that goes: Once you have kids you no longer go on vacation, you take trips. But what if you could take a vacation – one in which both parents and children can relax, explore and
Getting Motivated
I’ve always been a pretty self-motivated person. If I think something is worth doing, I don’t generally need people to give me a pep talk in order to get it done. If I think something is the right thing to
Discovering a Different South
We’re fair weather travellers. Neither myself, husband Mark or 17-year-old daughter Kate are content to lie on a crowded beach and soak up the sun as we’d much rather be on the move making new discoveries in a temperate climate.
Olympic flame sparks pursuit of outdoor fun
By Jane Muller The flame of Olympic fever has been ignited for those of us who get drawn into the games, watching as many events as possible. Despite the fact that our best male hockey players won’t be there and the
Sea Bass with a pistachio crust
SERVES: 6 This dish comes together quickly and is delicious paired with green beans and roasted potatoes. It's a bit on the rich side, so I suggest using fillets no more than 5 ounces each. If using one large fillet, you
Recycling car seats
By Christine Davis Since the use of child car safety seats became law in the mid-1980s, they’ve been filling landfills as they become damaged, expired, or no longer needed. In 2017, not-for-profit organization Green Propeller Recycling Limited conducted research showing that car
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
Words of affirmation
So much of parenting involves direction, instruction, and discipline. Depending on the age and stage of the children, it can feel like half your time is spent telling them what needs to happen next, reminding them when they’ve forgotten, and
Parental Displays of Affection
A few years ago (I don’t remember exactly how many now, but it was after our second child and before our third, so I’ll say something like six), another parent in the park told me that her three-year-old kid had
Cutting Class as a Family
The kids all cut class today, you know, for no reason really. It had nothing to do with the fact that today is the opening day of a massively popular sci-fi franchise movie that shall remain nameless – total coincidence.
What did you get for Christmas
Remember when you were a kid, how on Christmas afternoon (or maybe the next day or maybe when you got home from your Grandparents’ house) you’d head over to see your friends and bring along your most impressive Christmas presents,
Knowing what you know you know
By Jane Muller Goal setting and self-improvement are popular New Year themes. Resolutions often backfire and instead of motivating us, they emphasize yet another failure. Instead of thinking about all that we need to do, why not think about what we have
Snowman Cookies
These colourful snowmen will brighten up a dreary winter day and are a fun addition to any Christmas gathering. Get as creative as you like with the expressions and hat styles! Ingredients 1 quantity Vanilla Cookie dough confectioners’ (icing) sugar, for dusting 14 oz.