The kids and I spent a wonderful day in the sun at the first annual Kid Walk in Nelson BC. Again, we are so blessed in our little mountain community to have government and nfp organizations willing to support meaningful family programs. Loaded with fun, everyone has been talking about all the new activities the kids were able to experience. And no barrier to entry, everything was free.
Our first stop was a visit inside an ambulance and our 3-year-old daughter learned about 9-1-1. It hadn’t struck me to teach this yet, but she is capable of hitting the right numbers so it can’t hurt to know. The scary siren and flashing lights sent us off to kick soccer balls, with some free lessons thrown in. …

In our society, there is generally a high value placed on being competitive not only at home, but in the workplace, sports and even within relationships. Competition is said to “build character” and “achieve excellence” and overcome laziness – it is a very normal way to demonstrate our success as humans.  Competitive sports are thought to be great for “team building” and working together towards a goal. Trophies and prizes are handed out regularly to children at sporting events, or even at school. I grew up playing sports and believe the physical activity is of great benefit – as an average athlete, I was master of none. As parents we read some Waldorf findings about children being introduced to sport too early because: 1) they …

I am so bummed. Not so much that the Liberals are in power again, although that too is a bummer. I’m shocked that people are so entrenched in the way things are, that they can’t see that a single-transferable-vote system would result in more people at the table and help us to work together to  find solutions that work for all of society. It would help us get away from the swinging policies of what here is a two-party government. We spend so much time undoing the work of others because of different ideals and values, rather than coming up with a solution that works for everyone from the get go. It saddens me that ideals of the Green Party such as:

Building a Strong Economy,
Caring …

Parents in the Kootenays should be grateful to know that support workers in our communities are being exposed to research and ahead-of-the-curve perspectives on caring for and raising children. Success By Six, Selkirk College, The Family Place, School District 8 and others sponsored “Love Grows Brains”. My attachment-parent heart was aflutter when our daughter’s pre-school caregiver Laura brought this conference to our attention. Dr. Gabor Maté was going to be speaking. We couldn’t wait!
At the lectures, I and many others were like giddy school kids in the presence of a rock star. So when he walks in, wearing all black, looking tired and disheveled, I thought, great and he’s human too. Here is a smattering of what stood out for me.
Friday May 8, 2009 – …