• Parenting

    My Daughter Has FASD – My CBC Parents Post

    My youngest daughter has FASD. I have occasionally written a bit about that here, but I am adding a bit more content about this invisible disability and publishing in major national outlets to grow awareness. My CBC Parents Content Over the last two years I have been writing a lot of consistent content on CBC Parents. I am happy to be able to reach a wider audience and frankly freelance, of course, is where I began years ago when I started writing. A few of my posts have centred on our journey parenting kids with special needs, or mental health…

  • Printables

    Festive Christmas Charades Game to Play Now

    Looking for fun festive socially or physically distant ways to make the most of the holidays this year? Christmas charades is one way to get together with family even if you are apart. I mean this can easily be done on Zoom or Skype or whatever form of video calling you do. Post may contain affiliate links as a service to readers. I receive a small commission via qualifying purchases. This Christmas could be unique. I’ll be honest I am not sure I am ready for that. I need to be able to see family, but the pandemic numbers are…

  • Parenting

    Affirmation Cards for Teens to Build Positive Self Image

    Raising teens is all at once the hardest thing I have ever done and also the most rewarding. As hard as it can be for me to parent them, sometimes I fully recognize that it is even harder to be them right now, especially during a pandemic. Teens need all the mental health tools they can find. These Affirmation Cards for teens are a positive way to encourage mental health and self esteem. I printed these out for my oldest daughter and she was thrilled with them. You never know how these things will be accepted. But, she said OMG…

  • Health

    Don’t Let This Rare Eye Disorder Go Undiagnosed

    “This VKC blog is sponsored and supported by Santen Canada Inc.” A rare allergic eye disorder affecting children and adolescents is often missed by parents and can cause lasting damage. VKC, vernal keratoconjunctivitis, usually strikes during main allergy seasons, but it can also be present all year round. VKC is a relatively rare disorder. Public awareness is very low,” says Dr. Michael O’Connor, Pediatric Ophthalmologist at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO in Ottawa), and Past-President of the Canadian Association of Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (CAPOS). Common Symptoms of This Eye Disorder With a range of symptoms that mimic allergies…

  • family

    Hottest Dinosaur Toys to Give as Gifts This Year

    It’s no secret that the holidays are right around the corner. My kids have always been fascinated by dinosaurs and dinosaur toys always made impressive gifts for them every year. Just a Few Great Dinosaur Toys Jurassic Park was just the latest of the series of movies to get my youngest daughter reinvested in dinosaurs. She currently has dozens of dinosaur books, mostly from DK Canada. But, this season she’s asking for both Jurassic Park and Harry Potter themed Lego or books. That means dinosaurs are high priority again. A few of these are super young for little people but these…

  • Printables

    Fun Printable Christmas Activities to Do Now

    Christmas activities this year will be super important to everyone. So many of us will be sticking close to home with our families. Globally. That seems to be a common theme and a reality right now again in the middle of the second wave of this pandemic. So, again, if you are looking for ways to spend your time safe while social distancing or while home for the holidays, I have got you covered. Life, this year, has been a crazy roller coaster ride. There have been some tremendously challenging moments. By now, many of us are well used to…

  • Parenting

    10 Ways You Can Cherish Your Children While They Are Still Growing Up

    The relationship between a child and parent is priceless. Children mean the world to their parents and time is short when they are small. I don’t know any parents who don’t worry about about their child, at every age and stage. Parents worry endlessly about the day to day activities and whether kids are getting enough attention, nutrition and stimulation. There are so many things that you want to teach your children while they are growing up. Sometimes it feels like a race against the clock. But often you need to remind yourself that there are numerous chances to teach…

  • Printables

    Do a Christmas Scavenger Hunt This Year

    I declare it time for a fun Christmas Scavenger Hunt! Alrighty, so we all know that this year has been a lot. And the holidays, birthdays and such have all been done just a little bit differently. So, you might be looking for ways to occupy the kids and amuse others during the holidays while maintaining a bit of social distancing. Bring on a Christmas Scavenger Hunt! That’s why I am sharing some more fun Christmas activities for families. This Christmas Scavenger Hunt is just adorable. You could however play these games virtually or with friends via Face time. Or…

  • Food

    20 Hearty Chili Recipes To Make Right Now

    Chili is one of my favourite things to make in our slow cooker. In the winter months, we ski often and chili is pure comfort to come home to at the end of a long ski day. Plus, it is a very simple dinner or lunch to make. You can also make chili ahead and take it with you if you need a hearty meal that is a crowdpleaser to feed a group. I can’t even count the number of times that I have seen ski families taking a massive pot of chili into a ski chalet. It just makes…

  • Food

    10 + Simple Uses for Common Food Scraps

    Food waste is one of the biggest contributions to landfills. One of the ways you can prevent food waste is to reuse food scraps when possible. There’s so much waste that can actually be diverted from landfill when you know how and when to reuse your food scraps. Post may contain affiliate links as a service to readers. I make a small commission off of purchases made via qualifying links. My oldest daughter has me scrutinizing our habits at home and at first I have to say I was a skeptic, but seeing how she easily regrows green onions and…