Year: 2016

Tinkle. Tinkle. Tinkle. Did you hear that? That is the sound of an angel getting his wings. If you do not know that reference, you need to watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” this holiday season! It is a classic Christmas movie and sure to be on the television line-up once or twice in the coming […]

There are certain holidays or events that mark the year. Remembrance Day – or Poppy Day as we called it when I was a kid – is certainly one of those events. Poppy Day was always a signal to me that summer was long gone, that we were fully into autumn and that winter weather […]

One of my favourite parts of autumn is Hallowe’en. I have great Halloween memories of pouring my bag of candy out on the living room floor and sorting through it, followed of course, by the candy trade negotiations with my sister. Even as an adult, I have many happy memories of Hallowe’en. I remember well […]

The last days of summer have slipped away, so it’s time for you to work with your family to get school-year routines back in place. Consider introducing something new this autumn. School Lunches: Made by Kids! Yep, you read that right. Consider the basic math of it using the School Lunches Formula: D (no. of […]

 The great outdoors. You love it and you want your kids to love it as well. And why not! According to research referenced in a Washington Post article, “spending time in nature has tremendous benefits, including improved concentration, better motor coordination, improved overall cognitive functioning and a greater ability to engage in creative play”. Who […]

In the blink of an eye summer will be over and the kiddos will be back in school. Make the most of these last few precious moments by unplugging, unwinding, and really connecting with your little ones. Now you are probably thinking, “Sure I’ll fit that right in between laundry, dishes, chores, soccer practice…” The […]

Do you remember some of the movies you watched when you were a kid? I remember watching Stripes at the first boy / girl birthday party I went to when I was nine. NINE! Stripes was rated R and included topless women, drug references, profanity (four F-bombs) and some violence. Stripes, although the 5th most […]

The ants going marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah! The ants going marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah! The ants go marching one by one, the little one stops to suck his thumb. And they all going marching down… Whenever I hear that song I am immediately transported to the backseat of my parent’s car […]

Congratulations! Another school year is behind you and your family. For a couple of blissful months your kids can leave early morning alarms, school projects, quizzes and tests behind.  So why not mark the occasion! Here are five wacky ways to celebrate the start of summer vacation: ONE: Host a “Year in Review” Get each […]

Should I stay or should I go?  If I go, there could be trouble. And if I stay it could be double.  So come on and let me know. Should I stay or should I go? If you have had that famous song from The Clash on your mind since school let out and summer […]

Parents: Two equal parts. But are they? Doesn’t it seem that there is a lot more talk (research, articles, Google searches, you name it) about mothers than fathers?  Why should that be? It might be because children develop in their mother’s womb for 40 weeks, creating an indelible bond. In many cases babies get all […]

A great little Nanny help – 5 Things Your Nanny Should Always Have Handy. 🙂 Now that the good weather is here to stay, your kids and their nanny will probably be spending a lot more time outdoors. So make sure they’re properly equipped with some basic things that are a great nanny help: sunscreen, […]