Being Canadian

Being Canadian   I am proud to be Canadian but even more so as a parent I am grateful to be Canadian. Raising my kids in a peaceful, democratic country where my children can be kids and enjoy a childhood of exploring the world around them, have an education and healthcare with an abundance of…

The Back Arching Ninja

When my son was 18 months peeling a banana the wrong way would set off a tantrum with the most adverse affects. Okay it wasn’t the end of the world but it felt like it at the time. There was nothing I could do to calm him down. It was a mystery to me. I…

Halloween

Every year Halloween creeps up on me like poison Ivy. The month usually starts off with a conversation that would go something like this. “What are you going to be this year?” My 6-year-old daughter would reply, “A princess” I’d say, “Again?” But not the same princess as last year or the year before that,…

Summer Vacation

Summer Vacation As the school bell rings and the screams of joy come bellowing out through the doors into the playground it dawns on me, even though I knew it was coming, that another school year is over. I started stressing about the summer early April. What will I do with them for 2 months,…

When Kids Ask Big Philosophical Questions

Kids are unknowingly Zen Masters. They teach us patience with their Why? Why? Why? They say profound things that make you question your very existence or inspire you. My Daughter once said to me when she was about 7. “What if life is a dream and what if what we dream is real.” I didn’t…

Bedtime

I need more sleep! Got to get more sleep! I didn’t get enough sleep. How can I get more sleep?! How much sleep did you get? I sound more like a drug addict than a parent! Yet getting kids to go and stay in bed is a challenge at the best of times, they’re excited…