I remember stepping on the ice for my very first figure skating lesson when I was six years old. They lined us up at the boards and had each child skate across to the other side. I knew very clearly what was going on. They wanted to watch us skate so they could “classify” us. […]
When my marriage ended, I actually thought I just might stay single forever. My thinking was that this would be easier. Mostly because I really could not conceive of how I might ever bring another man into my children’s lives. They have a dad already, so they certainly don’t need another one of those. And, […]
“I love lemons. When I’m sick, they’re my go-to, squeezed in my honey-laced peppermint tea. When I’m sampling the first fruits of summer’s harvest, a lemon vinaigrette highlights those herbaceous notes with a tart and tangy citrus explosion. And when I’m relaxing in the afternoon sun, a chilled glass of lemonade is the perfect accessory. […]
Be it resolved that as a mama, I choose love… As a parent life is a little bit like navigating the climb up a steep mountain. At the top of the mountain there are gorgeous meadows and stunning views. At the bottom, a murky, stinking, sucking, cesspool of a swamp. The terrain in between can […]
That day. Oh that day. The day you turned around and realized you had an adolescent. Not a baby, not a preschooler, not a middle years kid, but an actual adolescent. And you wonder if it should be terrifying or delightful or just a beautiful thing to take in. The truth? It is all of […]
“We all want to grow up happy, well-adjusted children who find their way in the world. The “parenting” world is meant to inspire our journey as big people in the shepherding of our littles along such a path. Yet, while it is true that being informed in the raising up of your children can be […]
Teaching children to get along with others, resolve conflicts easily, pick up on social cues, and understand the complex dance of human interaction is important for many parents. Indeed, there has been an ever-increasing focus on socializing children at younger and younger ages. This has resulted in a culture that does not find it peculiar to […]
As parents and other big people, we want to protect our children from being overwhelmed by life. Life, however, often has another plan. Canada is grieving as we try to make sense of the terrible tragedy that has taken 15 lives of the Humboldt Broncos Junior B hockey team. And our kids are watching and […]
“Parents are often held up as either “good” or “bad” based on whether the behaviour of their child is “good” or “bad.” The focus on children’s behaviour is thus central in the minds of most big people – parents, teachers, caregivers, and other adults responsible for the raising of children. With this in mind, it […]
Along with the New Year comes some time for reflecting on self-improvement. Since child development that is going really well is messy and crazy and loud, most of our “success” in growing our children up in the best possible way actually needs to be measured by our own behaviour, rather than our children’s. That is, […]