Here's a short story I wrote about a young couple named Doris and Peter. I hope you enjoy. In early May, Doris woke up one morning and she knew it was time. She looked at Peter and gave a slight nod. Peter looked at Doris and nodded right back. They said nothing more. … [Read more...]
Do useless husbands make useless fathers?
Shawn's Note: In this post, I have used the words "husband" and "wife" to simplify gender identification. You can easily insert the word "partner" to suit your particular tastes.There are many differences between being a husband and being a father. But, is a man's behaviour as … [Read more...]
Skills to have for a lifetime, and to save one
Within 15 minutes of walking into my home for the first time, Mike started talking about the time his daughter nearly choked to death on a Mum Mum. Mike was graphic. He described the shade of blue she turned (think blueberry) and how he and his wife reacted when they realized that her … [Read more...]
How long can I remain cool?
When I was a kid, we would often take long road trips to visit family. To prepare for the 5 hour trip from Toronto to Ottawa, I used to gather together all of the portable toys I had and arrange an elaborate and organized set-up in the car so I had everything I needed at my fingertips.These … [Read more...]
Dad’s Failed Pool Party
I am no longer welcome at public pool's alone.Ok, here's the context. On the weekend of June 12 & 13, I was up at Blue Mountain for Urban Blog Fest. UBF (as I alone am calling it) was an opportunity for most of the urbanmoms.ca bloggers to connect in person and experience all the … [Read more...]
The Dreaded V-Word
To men, the V-word is quite possibly one of the scariest words in the english language. It strikes fear into the heart of millions, forcing even the toughest of men to shudder and recoil in horror. No, Harry Potter fans, I'm not talking about Voldemort, although He Who Must Not Be Named … [Read more...]
My Turn to Pay it Forward
You know, I freakin' well hate cancer. This dreadful disease has taken my grandfather, my mother and a cousin. It's taken countless loved ones from countless friends. And now, it's taking another terrible toll. Just the day before my mother died, I received an email from a dear friend. A shocking, … [Read more...]
Classroom Secrets: Tips to Support Struggling Learners
As a parent you hate to see your kids struggle--be it physically, emotionally, or academically. Luckily for them (and you) most of these times are likely short lived and your children soon forget. But what if struggle has become part of their daily lives ... especially at school?This month I'd like … [Read more...]
Booo, William Willett!
Or Why I Hate Daylight Saving Time.This guy here, William Willett, he's the one you can blame for the loss of one hour of sleep Saturday night. And you can also blame him for taking away that lovely, motivational SUNLIGHT that was just starting to help you wake yourself and your family up at 7:00 … [Read more...]
Asparagus Stir Fry with Grapefruit and Almonds
Okay seriously? This recipe was delicious. Seriously delicious. And also very, very simple to prepare. And, this was also my first time actually cooking with grapefruit, since last week's recipe used raw grapefruit in salsa. I was a bit nervous about trying it, but as it turns out, I didn't need to … [Read more...]