Year: 2015

Have courage and be kind.” Cinderella repeats these final words from her mother frequently throughout Disney’s latest version of the classic fairy tale. This is not surprising for a tale that seeks so deliberately to demonstrate the difference between kindness and cruelty and the ultimate consequences of both. Even if you cringe at elements of […]

Of all the traditions that we’ve read about in the last few weeks, one of our favourites was the reading of the poem ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’. In case you want to take up the tradition yourself, here are the words, as written by Clement Clarke Moore and now in the public domain:   […]

Let’s just say it – creating happy holidays among the hustle and bustle of the season can be challenging for even the most happily married couple. So what does that mean for those who are separated and divorced? And more importantly, what does that mean for the children? First of all, the basic tenets of […]

If you have or are scheduled to have a December baby, you may be worried about the additional stress of “bunched-up” festivities – Thanksgiving, Birthday, Christmas, and New Year’s. You likely worry about the impact on cherished family traditions. And what about your child – will his or her special day get overlooked as people […]

So what is the going rate for a tooth these days? Kids lose their 20 baby teeth over a period of five to six years, usually starting around age five to seven but sometimes as young as four. If you have children in this age range then you have likely added “tooth fairy” to the […]

As parents, one of the crucial life skills we aim to instill in our children is financial responsibility. An effective way to introduce them to the concept of money management is by providing them with a regular allowance. However, this practice comes with its own set of do’s and don’ts to ensure that kids learn […]

One day of the year, the country comes together to remember our fallen members of the Canadian Armed Forces. We, at SOSsitter.ca, want to share in remembering the sacrifices that soldiers and their families make, past, present and future. We are wearing our poppies and we are taking time at the 11th hour of the […]

Want to celebrate your kids birthday in a big way, but without breaking the bank or your and your housekeeper’s back? Sound impossible? Never fear, budget birthday advice is here! Plan in advance As true with everything in life, things left to the last minute cost more. For two reasons: (1) no time to shop […]

When we were kids, talking about “stranger danger” was as simple as “Don’t accept candy from strangers”. The world has changed. Statistics show that the cases of child abductions by strangers are relatively rare, rather children are harmed by those known (or at least familiar) to them. There is also a school of thought that […]

Helping with homework. This is different from doing the homework! Parents and caregivers should be willing and able to help kids with their school work and special projects, but should also recognise that if they do the work themselves, then the kids have not learned anything! Oh – and the teachers and other parents can […]

By Michelle Little I feel like I should be doing more for my children. Have you ever thought that? It seems to be the hot question of the moment and I feel like all my friends are asking themselves this question too. It doesn’t matter if they are working, staying at home, working part time […]