Well my darling followers it is still children’s mental health week here and there have been multiple workshops and various other offerings in and around town and still it feels like nobody seems to care. No press in the rag about town. Minimal audience at the various events I have attended and sadly this is making me crazy. Can anyone else say inducement? Or irony for that matter? Children’s Mental Health is a topic I am passionate about but it is making me crazy. Breathe with me. In 2 3 4. Out 2 3 4. There, that’s better. One in five children are…
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Imagine waking up paralyzed with fear over the simple fact that it is Monday. You get to school late as usual and slip into class, stomach in knots, head hurting, perhaps you have Tourrette’s, an invisible mental health disorder which causes you to tic, perhaps you are anxious or depressed. Maybe you have ADHD. In Canada one in five children suffer from a mental health disorder ranging from anxiety to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder to bipolar depression. That’s about 2 million children and adolescents in Canada. This week is Children’s Mental Health Week. Last weekend thriftymomma was fortunate to take part in…
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My household is proudly a no spanking zone. You may disagree with me. You may even use spanking as a discipline strategy – although I would never condone or encourage this quick fix method. And you will never convince me that spanking is a good or smart parenting solution. I am horrified when I hear news reports of overwhelmed parents like Kate Gosselin spanking their child. A few months back a study actually revealed that children who were spanked had lower IQs than those who were not spanked. Now this month a new study in the medical journal Pediatrics reveals what many of…
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King TUT Exhibit at the AGO Looking for a fun way to spend a rainy April afternoon? Why not drive to Toronto and head over to the Art Gallery of Ontario to take in the King Tut exhibit. The exhibit originally slated to close this week has been extended through May 2nd, so if you missed this one due to timing you have one more chance. Trust me, it’s worth it. The last time the exhibit of Tut’s treasures came to town was 25 years ago. The ancient Egyptian ruler has captured collective imaginations for many years because he was…
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So it appears daughter number two is content to follow in daughter number one’s footsteps. At least when it comes to asking the very serious heart-stopping adoption-related questions. Up until now – she recently turned six – she has been relatively passive about her adoption story. She hears it but does not question it, at least not usually. Sometimes I wonder if she is even hearing me. But I repeat the words and rehearse the script, full of phrases common to our family now. Part of telling the story is learning how to get comfortable with it yourself. My elder daughter…
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This should be the review of the PG-rated movie The Tooth Fairy. But instead it is a post about flexibility. Not the kind that comes from doing pilates or yoga or any of that. The kind that comes from being a parent, especially well known to those parents of children with special needs. Anyways, what started out as noble intentions last week – a family movie with Grandma and me and my sweet kids, home for the March break, turned out to be what I can only guess was a full sensory assault to my little one, who as some…
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Recently I posted a review of the great family resort we had the chance to stay at in Cancun. It was so very worthwhile. But what I wanted to say here today was a little along the lines of sometimes a tiny splurge or a family vacation can be a good investment. These days, in light of our recent break from Canada and the stresses of Canadian winter/ Mommy taxi/ regular routine of running the kids back and forth to doctors, therapists, schools and extracurriculars, I am refreshed. To me that’s worth all the money in the world. Not only…
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Our first ever family trip to Cancun Mexico was a huge hit. We found a great deal and did some exciting sightseeing which was certainly worth every penny. Can’t recommend this place enough. The quest for affordable family fun this year led us to Cancun, Mexico and a great new resort called Great Parnassus Resort and Spa. This one stunned us with the service, staff, family activities, food and great price. Everything exceeded our expectations from start to finish on our family trip to Cancun. The Parnassus Cancun The Parnassus is a 12-storey sprawling family destination on one of the…
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I spent part of my morning today playing Adventures in Sex City, The Sex Squad, a new on line game approved for use by Thames Valley District School Board. Say what?! There has been much written on line and many Mommybloggers are fetching blistering comments regarding this new sex ed tool. I can see why after spending even just a few moments playing the game. In this graphic novel style game a bad guy The Sperminator tries to shoot sperm at other characters who answer trivia questions. I chose the virginal Wonder Vag as my character and immediately could see…
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Today I registered my fiver for grade one. It’s a monumental occasion for many. It’s a big deal for me and for her. Everyone who has a child with special needs will get what I mean when I say that my heart is in my throat and my fingers are crossed as I tentatively prepare to ship her off to public school. I have had a big knot in my stomach since I left the school this morning. And to think there’s another six months before she starts. It’s not that I don’t have faith in our public schools –…