The end of the school year means that with the hustle of finishing up school studies, extracurricular sports are usually winding up too. As the parents of dancers, we have another set of dance competitions and recitals to attend, even though spending a sunny weekend afternoon inside a dark theatre … [Read more...]
Why Confiscating My Teen’s Phone Isn’t Always So Simple
Guiding your kids to do the right thing happens through our parenting actions—teaching them to be kind and thoughtful and to develop their own core values. Our kids are often pushing boundaries, especially when they start to experience more as teenagers and are exposed to other kids, teachers, and … [Read more...]
My Daughter Is Learning To Drive And I Feel Sick
My oldest daughter was a fussy baby and had a fierce gag reflex, which forced her to vomit whenever she got worked up and cried hard. Switching her to bottle feeding was difficult, as she was simply too stubborn to take it and could seemingly throw up on command when she decided she wanted to. Being … [Read more...]
I Can’t Help But Take Sides When My Kids Fight
When I'm waiting in the car for my kids after school and I see them walking towards me, one at least 10 strides ahead of the other, I know there's going to be trouble ahead. Like many families, my kids can be best friends one moment, then bickering and arguing the next, oftentimes over the … [Read more...]
University Applications Are Due: How Much Do We Help Our Teens?
I have never considered myself a helicopter parent. I am fairly strict with the things that I allow my kids to do, but I also let them figure some things out and make mistakes. However, when it comes to University applications, I don't know if there is much room for error. My daughter is taking … [Read more...]
How To Survive March Break When You’re Staying In Town With Teens
March Break is meant to break up the school year—and Canadian winters—by giving students a week-long, or in some provinces, two-week-long break during the school semester. While this is a great time for a sunny holiday or getaway, for many families, travelling during this time of year just isn't … [Read more...]
Is It Reasonable To Set A Phone Curfew For Your Teens?
Staying up late at night with a flashlight and whispering into the phone under the covers is something that most parents my age can remember doing as teens. The trick was to be very quiet, and with any luck, you had a phone—or better yet, a cordless phone—in your bedroom. In my case, getting caught … [Read more...]
I Let My Sixth Grader Get Her Legs Waxed
I’ve always been a bit of a clothes hoarder. I justify it by citing the few times that something I hung onto came back in style. More recently, I’ve become thankful for my hoarding tendencies because now everything in my closet seems to be fair game with my daughters. What was once mine and mine … [Read more...]
I Blinked And My Little Girl Became A Tween
I remember the exact moment I realized my daughter was no longer a kid. I was walking alongside her while we were out shopping. I turned to look at her and suddenly I saw that she was no longer a little girl holding my hand. She was a tween. Almost overnight, she went from being a child to a … [Read more...]
Teens Working Out: How Much is Too Much?
Working out has never been my personal go-to for stress release or an endorphin rush. Learning how to incorporate a workout regime into my life has taken time and discipline, and is a practice that I wish I had started much earlier in life. As a teenager, I was only involved in sports for a short … [Read more...]