As a young woman, I hated going to the hairdresser because I didn’t like looking at myself in a mirror for an extended length of time. Funnily enough, as I have gotten older, and am definitely more wrinkly, it doesn’t bother me nearly as much as it did when I was a teenager. Back then, I never … [Read more...]
My Teenage Daughter Broke Up With Her Boyfriend. So Why Am I So Upset?
I don’t think any parent would say that the moment your child starts dating is an easy one. Even when they start with an innocent crush, it still feels odd to think that your baby is now having feelings for someone other than their family. I have always encouraged my kids to be open about their … [Read more...]
I Am Never Going To Be The Mother Who Volunteers For School Field Trips
When I was working full-time, like many mothers, I felt very guilty for not being able to attend my kids' field trips or other school functions. I couldn't wait to get more flexibility in my work so that I could be that mom that helped with the PAC meetings or at school fairs. And when I started … [Read more...]
4 Ways To Make Life With Teens Easier
The lives of today's teens are scheduled and full. Many take part in sports or extracurricular activities in addition to keeping up with their academics and social calendar. While it can feel like their lives are heavily scheduled, having a full calendar means that they learn time-management and … [Read more...]
You Don’t Have To Be Friends With Everyone—In Fact, I Encourage My Kids Not To
It feels good to have a large circle of friends. Many of us are guilty of wanting larger social media numbers—friends, followers or fans, depending on the platform. The term for this is called ‘vanity metrics’, defined by Techcrunch.com as: "things like registered users, downloads, and raw page … [Read more...]
What On Earth Is The Mannequin Challenge?
Scrolling through Instagram a few weeks back, I saw my favourite dancers from Dancing with the Stars frozen like mannequins as the camera panned over them. The song in the background of the video was Rae Sremmurd’s Black Beatles featuring Gucci Mane. I didn’t know the song previously, but after I … [Read more...]
3 Things To Teach Your Teen That You May Assume They Already Know
It truly seems like overnight that your child grows from a small child to a taller-than-you teenager. They go from wanting the latest toy to borrowing your clothes and then riding in cars with friends. The transition goes so quickly that all of a sudden these young adults seemed to have miraculously … [Read more...]
5 Things I Splurged On For My Kids That Just Weren’t Worth It
I don't ever feel like I am that mom. You know the one; the over-indulgent parent whose kid has the best of everything, like the most coordinated outfits and 5-star lunches in their lunch kit every day. But there have been times when I have been over-the-top too, trying to make the best experience … [Read more...]
Is Your Teenager Entitled To An Allowance?
As a kid, I was enamoured with the idea of an allowance. In the 80s, there were plenty of happy families portrayed on television tossing the word allowance around casually. I think what I liked most about it was the idea that you could get paid once a week, or every two weeks, just by virtue of … [Read more...]
Why I Told My Teen NOT To Get A Summer Job
I was fifteen when I got my first summer job. I applied to a few places, and landed one in a local restaurant in the small city where I grew up. It was a family style pizza and pasta joint and well known for having great food and as a small kid, it was one of my favourite places to go when my family … [Read more...]