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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 issues and disabilities. For whatever reason, that content resonates with…
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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 and pink eye, VKC can easily be overlooked, but there…
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Getting My Gym Legs Back – Returning to the YMCA
After seven months of working out in my basement, I am moving on. This was the month that I found my gym legs again returning to the gym in person. Here’s how I found my gym legs again and here’s how it’s going so far… Deciding to Leave the Basement The decision to return to the YMCA near my home was not without a whole lot of introspection, hand ringing and anxiety. In fact, it kind of surprised me that I had anxiety returning at all, but after seven months of basement workouts, there it was. Nerves. Let’s face it the nerves were not unwarranted. I mean look around and…
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What It’s Really Like Getting a Coronavirus Test
This is our story of what it feels like getting a Coronavirus test. Here’s my disclaimer. We live in London, Ontario and we went for Covid tests the week before Labour Day when one of us showed 1-2 symptoms. Waits for testing and actual local case numbers were low then. Now, they have changed. This was our experience getting a Coronavirus test. Why Were We Getting A Coronavirus Test? Three weeks ago, my older daughter, who was just about to start university went to sleep with extreme stomach upset. After a night spent running to the bathroom, we were a little concerned. Sure, it could have been nerves at starting…
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Kindness Game – Teaching Kids How to Be Kind
“Be Kind Whenever Possible. It is Always Possible,” – Dalai Lama Kindness is my life philosophy and one of the highest aspirations for me as a parent. International Kindness Day is right around the corner. That’s why I thought it would be a great time to share this Kindness game with you. Make Kindness Fun I am not one to believe that kindness should ever be confined to a single day. Kindness, especially these days, is like sunshine, sprinkle that stuff everywhere. Now, more than ever, the world needs kindness. Sharing that philosophy with my kids and hoping they evolve into caring, kind adults, is a life’s work and a…
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Brain Exercises to Keep Your Cognitive Abilities In Shape
Post may contain affiliate links as a service to readers. I make a small commission via qualifying links. Your brain is a muscle and like any muscle, using it keeps it in shape. When muscles aren’t used, they atrophy and lose muscle tone. The same is true for your brain. It’s important to retain your cognitive nimbleness and keep your mind alert so that you can continue to perform mental tasks with ease. Here are some strength training exercises designed to keep your brain active and in shape as you age. Brain Exercises Learn new things. Experts believe that when the brain is passive and unengaged, it will atrophy. The…
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Online Prescription Refill Makes Managing Family Health Easier
This online prescription refill post has been sponsored by The Health Depot. I received compensation and my opinion is truthful. Prescriptions are the bane of my existence. Let me explain. Everyone here is on at least one prescription. My kids have anxiety disorder and FASD and ADHD and I have Crohn’s disease. I make no effort to hide our health care struggles and challenges. In fact, I talk about them often, because I know we are not alone and other parents need to know they are also not alone. Recently, I found a solution to a BIG health care pain point. Easy Solutions Give Me Time Back The Health Depot…
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Six of the Best ADHD Books for Parents
ADHD books for Parents can come in handy, especially at the start of your journey when trying to gather resources and facts. Parenting a child with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) can be extremely challenging. Impulsivity, distractibility, attention, focus and even explosivity are all symptoms that can be genuinely hard to manage and live with on a daily basis. As a parent of two girls who are opposites with these symptoms – one hyperactive and one inattentive, I often need to remind myself to find my calm side and approach parenting from that starting point. This ADHD Books for Parents post contains affiliate links as a service to readers. I…
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Free Online Fitness Classes To Try While Stuck at Home
My friends and family members know I am all about the fitness classes. I structure every work day around the gym. Before the Pandemic, I worked out a minimum of five days a week at the YMCA. Suddenly, I was hunting for online fitness classes to fill the gap. My morning and lunchtime workouts at the YMCA are necessary for me to maintain flexibility, strength, energy and balance. I have Crohn’s Disease and my joints tend to get very sore and stiff unless I move frequently. So, for me movement isn’t optional. When the Coronavirus started was distant news seemingly contained in Wuhan Province, I was working out. We were…
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Our Pandemic Story Week Seven Online School
Every week of the pandemic has arrived with a new theme. Know what I mean? But, oh my God, this week was not my favourite. This is week seven of our pandemic story and online school. I was all set to write a pandemic story about how well we were doing, making the best of this social distancing/ quarantine/ lockdown situation. On the weekend, I literally said out loud: “I am so proud of all of us. We get up and get dressed every single day and we try to do something, do work, take a walk, go for a quick hike. Bake or make or create a project, food,…
