We keep judging parents for letting their kids play with their iPads or flaked out in front of the television. We are told to get our kids outside in the fresh air and get off the screens, to exercise and run around and use their imaginations. We are supposed to encourage our children to play with … [Read more...]
What’s A Mom Got To Do To Get A Little Privacy?
If you ever feel like you are insignificant, try to accomplish something on a deadline that is important to only you. It doesn't really matter what it is. It might be something as innocuous as filling an ice cube tray, as mundane as returning a phone call, or as emotionally cathartic as relaying a … [Read more...]
Letting Go Of The Mommy Guilt And Focusing On Me
I love being a student here in Halifax. I've been away from my kids for nearly two weeks and while I miss them terribly and can't wait to come home, I have a dirty secret: I am having a great time. I've met amazing people, I've explored a new city, my head is full of ideas and knowledge, and my … [Read more...]
The Six Emotional Stages Of Kid-Free Time
Once upon a time, my son’s dad took him to Palm Springs for nine days. I didn't expect the roller coaster that would follow in my own emotions. Stage 1: Elation No making lunches. No marathon bedtime routine. No responsibilities. Maybe some of my friends still go to the bar! Maybe the bar is … [Read more...]
Babysitter Locks Herself On Balcony After Being Attacked By Child
And today in the strangest news you’ve heard all day. A babysitter in Victoria, BC called the police on Monday after the small child she was watching allegedly kicked and tried to strangle her. Say what? The babysitter, who is an adult, barricaded herself on the apartment’s balcony and left … [Read more...]
Babysitters, Nannies, Au Pairs: What Would We Do Without Them?
What would we do in a world with out childcare providers? I cringe at the very thought. But finding the perfect fit for your family can sometimes be tricky. You want someone who is fun, but responsible, friendly but able to discipline. Someone your kids like, but someone you can trust... So how … [Read more...]
Gimme a Break
We've always known how lucky we are, having all four grandparents living no more than a 10 minute drive from us. We've never paid for a babysitter. We get out regular for kid-free nights with friends. We are very fortunate. Last night I blow dried my hair (I never do that), I slapped on some … [Read more...]
Um …
I was really hoping to just have a bath in the tub by myself. … [Read more...]
On Being a Woman on Her Own.
I don't leave my family often. That is to say, I don't travel much, and so far, since my children have been born, I've been away via airplane exactly three times. Thrice, in nine years. (Well, it's actually four times, if you include the time I stayed in a hotel for two nights by myself, but that … [Read more...]