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YOU NEED this – Caregiver Kick Start #specialneeds
There is nothing quite like attending a conference or a workshop and leaving feeling energized, validated and understood. You know that feeling, right? It’s like a giant sigh of relief and a reminder that this unique parenting is doable. But, then you leave that space and you return to your home. Maybe you maintain that zen approach for 3 days, or a week at most and something happens and you slide right back into that overwhelmed, exhausted state you were in before. How can you get back to that space where you are in control of your feelings and reactions? I have the answer: Caregiver Kick Start! A couple of…
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5 Brain Facts You Might Not Know #YOTB
5 Brain Facts You Might not Know Did you know the human brain is still largely not understood? Scientists know the basics of how it works and what the different lobes do, but that knowledge is a drop in the bucket compared to the ocean of what they don’t know. Did you know it’s the Year of the Brain? [tweetthis]DYK it’s the Year of the Brain? #health[/tweetthis] The brain is a fascinating topic matter and a new frontier where scientists and systems need to concentrate more research and health policy initiatives in future. From FASD (fetal alcohol spectrum disorder to autism to Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and acquired brain injury,…
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10 Sensory Play Ideas with Gelatin
My kids are a curious combination of sensory seeking and sensory avoiding. That’s not uncommon for children with sensory processing difficulties. My older daughter avoids anything that feels scratchy. My younger daughter seeks out deep pressure often and also avoids any fabrics that are not soft and comfortable. Both have some sensory issues. I have written about that often here. Remember this post about 5 easy and free sensory play activities for kids with sensory processing disorder. [tweetthis]Five Easy and Free activities for kids who love sensory play https://www.thriftymommastips.com/easy-and-free-sensory-play-activities-for-kids/[/tweetthis] Both of my girls indulge in and seek out messy play. Not always but often. They like painting, gardening, crafting. They…
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5 Handmade Gift Ideas for the Preschool Teacher in Your Life
5 Handmade Gift Ideas for the Preschool Teacher in Your Life Preschool teachers do so much to help our children grow and learn. They are the educational force that helps prepare our kids for grade school, high school, and beyond. In the context of my younger daughter’s entire education so far, the preschool teachers might have had the greatest impact. My younger daughter, as some of you know, has some special needs. I talk about that here from time to time. When my daughter was very small she had a lot of trouble with socializing, so all of her helpers, the therapists and doctors and social workers too, stated clearly…
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The Art of Marketing Conference Coming To Toronto May 25 and a Promo Code #TheArtOf
Last year around this time, I had the opportunity to attend The Art of Leadership for Women. I spent the day hearing from a talented and diverse group of women who excelled at marketing and business. Hayley Wickenheiser was a real show stopper for me and Martha Stewart is always interesting, to say the least. Last year my personal, and business philosophy, was all about growth. I grew in a lot of ways last year and the social media consulting business at Thrifty Mom Media flourished as well. Growth took me to places I never knew I would be. I worked with World Vision Canada to tell some important stories about their…
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2015 Fashion Trends for Prom Dresses
2015 Fashion Trends for Prom and Graduation Dresses Prom season is here, and it’s time to get those dresses! Chances are you’ve already started looking for a prom dress, but if you haven’t let’s take a look at the 2015 fashion trends for prom dresses. Hopefully this might help guide some of your shopping process. 2015 Fashion Trends – Sleek, Sassy, and Surreal This year, sequins are either out completely, or used for just a splash of sass. Gone are the days of heavily sequinned and beaded sparkle gowns. Instead, the 2015 fashion trends of the prom world are sleek, sassy, and surreal. Sleek One of the three main themes…
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Microsoft Summit on 21st Century Learners – EVENT in Windsor, Ontario, April 11 Geared Towards Teachers
When I see educational opportunities like this Microsoft Summit on 21st Century Learners happening nearby in Windsor, Ontario I get excited, for several reasons. I am a parent of two children who are still in grade school. Digital kids. I arm both of my girls daily with technology at home and at school and I am abundantly aware of how they absorb media and how they learn. It’s radically different than how I learned 20 to 30 years ago. Only 20 to 30 years ago we trotted off to school with books and pencils and paper. Now kids carry tablets, iPhones, iPods and sometimes laptops too – technology that for…
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Dora The Explorer Live Show in London April 13th
Dora The Explorer Live Show in London DududududududDDDDDDORA!! Even now with a teenager and a tween, I still hear that catchy Dora tune! Hard to resist. What did I love about Dora, as a parent? Well, Dora was a cute, smart and curious little girl. I am a parent of girls and I nurture curiosity. So I loved that. Dora was a polite character without all that snark or sarcasm that is sometimes on television. She is wholesome. I know that’s a strange, and maybe inadequate, word for what I am describing, but Dora was, and still is, a child I would invite over to my home. I had no…
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Should Sex Education Curriculum in Ontario Also Include Infertility and Fertility?
Starting in September 2015, Ontario’s schools are working with a new updated sex education curriculum. I am happy to hear that the new Ontario school sex education curriculum will include topics such as transgendered people, homosexuality, sexting and consent. This conversation inside a school might make kids a bit squeamish while sitting through it, but it’s important for life. One morning before school this month, my daughter and I had an open conversation about transgendered people. She legitimately wanted to know something about someone she met while travelling one weekend to Mont Tremblant, Quebec, where we learned to ski. “Mom,” she asked, “was that a boy or a girl in the airport?”…
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Get Your Little Ones Reading with This Cute Kid’s Bookmarks Printable
The truth about my kids is that they take after me – a lot. I am a big book lover and I read voraciously. It’s one of my favourite pastimes. Words make me happy. They cheer me up and inspire me. They help me to feel, and they motivate me to act, and even encourage me to continue writing. Practice, after all, makes perfect. My kids happily also love to read. Love of reading is something I have always worked hard on nurturing in each of the girls. We often each have multiple books on the go. And oddly we also are very similar in this one way – none…