Make play a priority this school year
Between attending classes and homework the school year is a busy time for kids. One thing that may fall off the priority list is how to keep kids active when there is limited free time. As a parent or guardian, it’s
Simple tortillas for Hispanic home cooking
Tortillas come to mind when many people think of Hispanic cuisine. Tortillas come in many varieties and flavours. Hispanic cuisine lovers accustomed to store-bought tortillas may be surprised to learn that they can make their own tortillas at home. Simple and
Practical Learning
It’s part of human nature to think that others should find our own passions and interests and occupations as important as we do. I understand that. I publish poetry, and I sincerely think that everyone should love poetry as much
Upfront: What do we really need
We all have too much stuff. We have so much stuff in fact that there’s an industry built around organizing that stuff for us and another that provides plastic bins of all sizes in which to store it. In this issue
Cool Stuff – November 2019
By Christine Davis Intelino Smart Train This is the classic toy train, reinvented. This set includes smart tracks, smart train, colour snaps to help control the train’s actions, as well as decals for customizing the look, a USB charging cable and a
November Bookshelf
The Shortest Day By Susan Cooper, illustrator Carson Ellis Two award-winners have come together to create a seasonal treasure by presenting a poem that welcomes the winter solstice with illustrations that capture the magic of the returning light. From early hunter-gatherers
Celebrating Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day is a hard one for me to talk about with my kids. First of all, neither they nor I have any direct connection with war. It’s something we see on the news, but not something we’ve ever had to
Halloween evolved
Halloween has definitely evolved in our house over the years. It used to be that we made a pretty big deal of it. We’d carve pumpkins for everyone, then roast the seeds. We’d make some sort of homemade treat to hand
Playing with the adults
One of the coolest things about my kids getting bigger is that they can come and join me in my activities rather than always needing me to come and join them in what they’re doing. For example, everyone in our family
Chipotle sausage and potato hash recipe
Add a little heat to cool autumn breakfasts with this easy-to-make recipe courtesy of Tabasco. It’s filling and hearty enough to even add to your weeknight dinner rotation. Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 20 min Serves: 4 Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil 3
Mom Stuff
By Christine Davis Oxford Navy Chalk Paint by Annie Sloan This new addition to the Chalk Pain palette takes its name from Oxford University’s insignia. The deep inky blue is a great grounding colour in a playful palette or as part of
Feeding the family
Between my own children and the homestay students that our family is hosting, the dinner table at our house currently seats myself, my wife, my mother-in-law, and also five boys – aged 18, 17, 14, 12, and 8. Now, if you’ve
Cool Stuff
By Christine Davis Bogs Kids Neo-Classic boot Built with a proprietary seamless construction process, this is the most durable kids boot on the market. Not only is it lighter than most boots it’s also 100 per cent waterproof, warm and features
Making good manners cool again
By Sandi Schwartz Have you noticed that kids these days do not have the best manners? When I volunteer at my daughter’s school at lunchtime, I rarely hear the children saying please and thank you, although they are certainly not shy
Room for everyone and so much more
By Christine Davis The hunt for the ideal family vehicle is different for each family and at each stage. Ours has been content with a sedan and a small SUV since becoming a family of four, but as the kids grow
Art that is all about the making
By Meri Cherry As a working mom, I wanted some way to connect with my girls in the limited time we had together. With Process Art, I found my answer. In simple terms, Process Art is art that’s all about the
The Right Situation
Helping your kids be successful is in many instances about putting them into the kinds of situations that emphasize their strengths and compensate for their weaknesses. This is true in big ways, like when choosing high school classes. Why force your
Teach me
My youngest kid was up very early this morning, coming downstairs while I was still meditating. “Dad,” he said, poking his head through the doorway, “can you make me some scrambled eggs?” I told him that he was perfectly capable
Dropping the “n” word
My middle kid had the N-word dropped on him again yesterday (he’s had to put up with this at least once a year since he was school aged). This time he was playing basketball with a kid he’d never really
