Deciding the Future
In less than a month my eldest will start high school, and I’m having some trouble wrapping my head around that. It’s not that I’m terribly worried about him. He’s a level-headed kid, with good friends, and lots of family support.
Dresden glasses are eye-deal
By Christine Davis Made entirely of recyclable, durable plastic, Dresden eyeglasses are now available in Canada. Sustainably made and super affordable, the concept came out of Australia when founders Bruce Jeffreys and Jason McDermott sought a solution for expensive frames and
Get groceries now
The arrival of a new baby is a thrilling time for mothers, but can be overwhelming, making simple, everyday tasks such as grocery shopping and cooking, a burden. To help ease the stresses of motherhood, Inabuggy, formerly InstaBuggy, offers a helping
Take in Toronto
By Christine Davis Playing tourist close to home is a fun take on a staycation that actually lets you leave your house. Toronto has plenty of family fun to offer – enough to keep you more than busy for at least a
Making a List
One of the things I’ve written about in this space before (and that I also talk about with parents all the time), is not just scheduling every minute of your kids’ summer, but allowing them unstructured time to hang out
Vacation Like A Kid
Remember those childhood summers, when you didn’t get up until noon, or when you got up before dawn to go fish down at the dock; when you spent the whole day just reading on the porch, or when you did
Learning Hospitality
Most weekends during the summer, if we’re in town, we invite a few friends over for a barbecue at our house. Things are usually pretty low key – we pick up a few drinks, throw some sausages on the grill,
Real reading
As a writer and a publisher, I’ll admit that I can be a bit picky about books, but when it comes to the kids books I’ve seen recently, I think I’m justified in being a little disappointed. It’s not all books
Mom Stuff
By Christine Davis Black Fly Tequila Shaker Shots Shake up your shots with these Mexican-inspired tequila poppers that feature premium ingredients including Mexican tequila, real lemon and lime juices, soda and a hint of salt. Plus they come in a unique test
Something They’ll Never Forget
I took my two younger kids to see the Toronto Raptors’ championship parade and rally in Nathan Phillips Square. We had to get up at 5 a.m. to catch the train to Toronto, then walk from Union Station to the square,
Learning to be a better parent
One of the curious side effects of fostering and adopting is that you usually end up with a whole lot more parenting instruction than if you have biological children. Whereas it’s possible to get pregnant on a whim (or even
Wedding Season and the mini-guests
It’s getting into the season where your weekend calendar will be filling up with weddings. And for parents some of these events welcome your littles to attend as mini-guests or to play an important role in the big day. The
Taking on turkey
By Christine Davis When Chef Shahir Massoud was tasked by Butterball to produce a show that would take him across the country, preparing traditional dishes from eight different families of various backgrounds, little did he know he’d learn a thing or
Intergenerational family travel blossoms in Ottawa
Story & Images by: Jacquie D. Durand When the warm weather arrives, everyone is a little ‘antsy’ to get outside again. My family’s solution was a road trip to Ottawa to see the annual Tulip Festival. Representing three generations: a mother
Other people’s kids
It seems I’ve hit a new stage as a work-from-home parent, one where my kids are old enough not to be around the house during the day so other parents see me as an ideal target to hit up for
Charitable teachers’ gifts
With the growing trend towards giving charitable gifts in lieu of material things, this year, consider giving your child’s teacher a donation in his or her name to First Book Canada. One in four Canadian households don’t have a single book
Healing books
Some conditions and diseases can be hard for children to understand. The experts at Hamilton Health Sciences Hospital have put together a list of books to make talking about certain health topics a little easier. Here is a sample of their
Recipe for a rainy day
By Chef Shai Mandel It’s raining, it’s pouring …. but no one will be snoring when you mix up your day with some cooking activities! Just because you are stuck inside doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun in the kitchen.
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
Learning to Succeed
My youngest son decided to grow a garden this year. He arrived at this decision while watching me turn soil for my garden, and then sow a bunch of kale, which is about the only thing hardy enough for me
