When we first had our kids, we knew we had to toss our TV.  It’s pretty common knowledge that television and videos aren’t exactly positive influences on early child development.  We have all heard the rhetoric about television overloading young children’s brains with too many flashing scenes, and stimuli, not to mention bad language and violence.  However, until only recently have we been able to make a direct correlation with our 5 year old watching videos, and then having night terrors.  The only case we will allow child appropriate vides generally is when she is sick, and unable or willing to do anything else (after exhausting games, crafts, book reading etc).  We also carefully prescreen and watch videos with them where possible, only allowing very …

Parents and mom’s especially are naturally programmed to hate crying.  It makes our hearts race, literally, and is really hard to sit and listen to without doing anything, especially when we are tired and worn out from our day.  Getting kids to sleep is often the “witching hour” for many families, where the children are also worn out, and need the cartharsis of a good cry to expend that last remaining energy and prepare for sleep.  Although we’d love to avoid our kids crying at all, it’s actually a healthy, natural release for them and a form of communication of their feelings.  Remember, kids aren’t born talkers, they are born cryers.  And crying for kids is communicating.
Attachment Parenting experts have always said that crying is …

Getting your child to leave a fun activity can be difficult.  Whether it’s at the pool or playground or if they’ve just met a new friend, kids approach play full-on.  Getting them ready to go, especially if it is something that they are entirely engrossed in, can be hard.  But approaching it with their needs in mind first, vs yours, can allow them to leave in good spirits.  Leaving can even be transformed into a fun activity that they will get excited about.
1. Speak In Their Language
The number one way I hear parents at a playground try to get their kids to leave is with a warning like “OK, Sarah, 5 more minutes and then we are leaving!”.  If your child is under age 5 …

I was telling my mom today that we are researching schooling options for our kids. She pointed out a good series of articles she had read in the Toronto Star. Check out the Atkinson Fellowship Series of articles, and watch for the marshmallow test.
We all want smart kids, and these articles discuss how well education systems help to reach this goal. As parents though, self-esteem is of more concern – we feel being smart is a by-product of children feeling secure physically, emotionally and otherwise. We are concerned that the public system is archaic and too stressed for resources to provide teachers with what they need to educate our children well.
Allana Mitchell writes: ”[Teachers] are having a biological influence on children that is in scale akin …

My friend said it best: “Forget about the flu or the vaccine…the freekin’ hysteria about it all is enough to kill me.”
As parents who are doing little vaccinating with our kids, no one in our family is likely to get the H1N1 vaccine. But it doesn’t mean we aren’t concerned about our children getting sick. The conversations around the poker table, with doctors and research scientists, at classes or gatherings with other families, all seem to come back to similar advice. Clean yourself… thoroughly. And don’t touch your face, let alone your mouth. I can be sure my two young children, who are orally obsessed, should remain healthy through this flu season. Here we go!
Our pro-vaccine GP, a really thoughtful and smart family acquaintance, suggested we not …