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
A real summer vacation
Just as a head’s up, I’m going to do some complaining. It’s possible that you’ll even be one of the parents I’m complaining about here, so I’m apologizing up front, but I’m going to complain anyway. There are no kids to
Family camping back to basics
My wife and I took the kids camping this past weekend. We went with a few friends and a few friends of theirs who we didn’t really know, so there was quite a gang of us. To be clear, we didn’t
It’s worth the drive to Pumpkinville
Where the heck is Pumpkinville? It’s a question followed by an equally puzzling answer. Pumpkinville is near Ellicottville. Where is Ellicottville? It’s just about a half hour south of the Buffalo border crossing in up-state New York and it’s not just for skiing
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
Fall wardrobe
By Christine Davis The cooler days of fall call for a new wardrobe, but everything you’ll need to keep warm and look great over the coming months can cost a fortune. According to Dag Larsen, founder of consignment store chain Consign
Costume conundrums and wardrobe tricks
By Jane Muller We’ve just had a discussion amongst our team at City Parent as to what our Halloween costume theme will be this year. There’s an annual competition in the office that we share with staff of other Metroland publications.
Beyond Las Vegas
By Diana Ballon As we head northeast from Las Vegas toward the Valley of Fire, we listen to an iPod playlist of Gram Parsons’ Ooh Las Vegas, Joni Mitchell’s The Dry Cleaner from Des Moines and Elvis Presley’s Viva Las Vegas.
Dip into school lunches
With so many dietary restrictions and rules regarding school-safe food, here’s a recipe that is completely free of the eight of the most common allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, wheat, soy, fish, crustaceans and eggs). The addition of roasted sweet potato
Being the best parent possible
By David Essel Wouldn’t it be great if we could all be the best parents possible by simply following a few words of advice? David Essel attempts to set us on the right path with his words of wisdom featured in this
Go wild at Toronto Zoo
By Christine Davis There’s exactly one week of summer left, before days of fun get traded in for days in the classroom. Fortunately you can make the most of that week at places like the Toronto Zoo, where the summer’s special
Avoid the back-to-school shopping rush
By Patrick Ens The back-to-school shopping rush can be an extremely stressful time for kids and adults alike. Children want the newest phones, shoes and clothes for their first day – and adults will often do everything they can to
Sherkston Shores
By Christine Davis Nestled on the shores of Lake Erie is a place unto itself. You’d barely know it was there when driving past – save for the long driveway running parallel to a quarry turned swimming hole. But when you
Discovering Vienna’s Love of Life with The Love of My Life
By Dee-Anne Wessel As we touch down at Vienna International Airport, my first thought is that we’ve come a long way and I’m not just talking distance. On this our 30th Anniversary, we aren’t as financially strapped as we were when
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
Travel games
By Tiffany Doerr Guerzon During school break, many families will be hitting the road! With kids strapped into car seats or seat belts they can quickly get bored. Avoid the “Are we there yet?” chorus by packing a few games
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
David Neinstein’s 3-2-1 BBQ rub method
Co-owner, executive chef and pit master of Barque restaurants in Toronto and Burlington David Neinstein knows his rubs and shares his signature method for creating your own. The 3-2-1 method, named such because it’s designed to be used as a ratio
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
The California Desert with Family
By Diana Ballon The desert has that expansive barren quality that makes me feel small and insignificant, like how kids probably feel much of the time, except I’m all grown up. In California, it’s a place where flat beige land bumps
