Another school year has come to an end. I remember the last days of school fondly. We’d all scream “no more pencils, no more books!” The last day of school was always the best day ever. Sure, we’d maybe miss our friends and teachers over the summer but that final moment of leaving the school on … [Read more...]
Banning Smartphones For Kids Under-13? Good Luck With That
It’s amazing to me as a mom how very little frame of reference I have from my own childhood when it comes to making big decisions about my children. There is no greater reference gap for parents out there then when it comes to technology. The average family home didn’t have computers until I was a … [Read more...]
Why Are Our Tax Dollars Still Funding An Exclusionary Catholic School System?
I have made it no secret that I am not a believer in publicly funded religious education. Ontario is one of the very few provinces in Canada that offers residents in school boards the choice between a public education and a Catholic one. What would constitute a private education in most provinces, … [Read more...]
The Politics Of Buying My Kid Annoying Presents (Or Why On Earth Did You Get Her Drums?)
When my kids were little, we had gift rules. No, we didn’t give people a piece of paper with things they could and could not buy our kids. But if they inquired, my husband would say, "All I ask is nothing that can roll under the couch, nothing that has no on and off switch and nothing without volume … [Read more...]
Who Says You Can’t Engage Kids In Politics?
Small voices are sometimes the loudest. No, I'm not talking about the wailing of a baby or the howls of a distressed toddler. Let's just say that often, in the innocence of youth, there lies plenty of wisdom. A developer wants to put a giant medical building smack dab in the middle of the … [Read more...]
Thank God My Son Didn’t Get Into Daycare
When I lost my job early last year, in the middle of the school year, I had to remove my then four and six-year-old from the YMCA after school program. When I found a new job just two months later, there was a spot available for my daughter, but my younger son's spot had been taken and the waiting … [Read more...]
Are Competitive Sports Pushing Our Kids Too Far?
Maybe it was something I just wasn’t aware of as a kid or maybe it has grown in prominence but it seems like every second child I know is doing competitive dance. Kids who have a passion and an aptitude for dance are taking multiple hours of dance a week, honing their skill and gearing up for local, … [Read more...]
That’s Not My Milton: In Defense Of Canada’s Fastest Growing Town
About a month ago, I pitched a blog to my editor about what it is like to live in the fastest growing community in Canada. Holiday season and parenthood have gotten in the way and it’s taken me longer to get around to it than I’d planned. Turns out that was a good thing. Earlier this week, a … [Read more...]
The Dog Didn’t Eat Our Homework—We Just Didn’t Feel Like Doing It
My daughter just completed her first year of French Immersion, with a grade 1 start. From what I understand, French Immersion is particularly bad for giving homework but, holy cow, did she have a ton of homework? Every. Single. Night. Sometimes it was just reading a poem or two. Other times it was a … [Read more...]
What Impact Has The New Sex Ed Curriculum Had On Ontario Families?
The announcement last year of a new sex ed curriculum in Ontario resulted in some serious outcry and protest from parents who didn’t want the school system to teach their children topics they themselves were uncomfortable with—like what a penis is and does or that same-sex couples exist. Another … [Read more...]