• safety-tips
    family - Health - Uncategorized

    After School Safety Tips To Keep Your Tween Safe

    September 29, 2015 - By 

    After school can be a bit of a scary time for parents. Our kids are home and sometimes we’re still at work, so we have to count on them to stay safe. This time can be a great test for their independence but it can also be a bit scary for parents. These safety tips can help keep your tweens safe until you’re back at home. [tweetthis]Some basic common sense safety tips that help your tween stay safe after school.[/tweetthis] After School Safety Tips – Basic Common Sense While all of these safety tips might be basic common sense, let’s face it.…

  • high school
    family - Health - parenting

    Decision Time – Our High School #BTS Update and What We Decided

    September 9, 2015 - By 

    Remember back in August when I wrote about how torn we were in deciding which high school my daughter would attend. We had always planned for her to attend the local French immersion public high school that everyone from her elementary school goes to. Well, almost everyone. We did all the preparation and she did the weekend sleepover event there too. She registered and we were waiting on her schedule to arrive when I realized that a smaller Catholic high school that is closer to our house also offered French immersion. So late last June we raced over there and…

  • school-bus-coloring-page
    Printables

    School Bus Coloring Page For Back To School #BTS

    September 7, 2015 - By 

    There’s one short day left here before we are back to school. That saddens me a bit. I like the summer months and the great weather that comes with July and August. I guess it will be good to have some order established again. But really day camps did that here and, for the most part, day camps kept the kids really engaged and interested. Anyways, whether you love or loathe back to school time, don’t forget to maintain an upbeat and calm attitude for the kids. That helps a lot. When it comes to transitions, some kids need a…

  • homework-tips
    family - parenting

    5 Tips to Help with Homework

    September 1, 2015 - By 

    Sometimes, all a child needs for help with homework are clear expectations and an area conducive to studying. If you want to give your child help with homework, I have some tips that can help ensure that homework time is a productive time for your child. Help with Homework – Easy Steps for a Better Outcome There are a few things you can do to help your child maximize his or her homework and/or studying experience. With these tips, you’ll have a space all set for productive study, and you’ll have clear expectations for your child and their academic performance.…

  • back to school maze
    Back To School

    Back to School Maze Printable #BTS

    August 27, 2015 - By 

    Back to school means back to the bus stop for a lot of people. Are your kids bused or do they walk? We’ve had great luck with school bus drivers so far at this new school. So that’s one thing I don’t mind, or fret over. Our driver was such a lovely man this past year that he called our house a couple of times to make sure my kids had arrived home safely. He was a real keeper. I can only hope we get the same great luck here this coming school year. I’ve been sharing some simple printables for…

  • mabel's labels
    family - Giveaways - parenting

    Back to School with Mabel’s Labels Stylish Scholar’s Combo #BTS #Giveaway

    August 16, 2015 - By 

    This is a back to school pun. What gets misplaced, but never lost? Easy peasy. Anything boasting a smart Mabel’s Labels Stylish Scholars Combo. My kids misplace stuff all year long. But they rarely lose it. Why is that? We slap Mabel’s Labels on pretty much everything important. They worked beautifully for camp when we had the camp combo and they work every bit as well for the remainder of the year. We use ours for all the sports equipment and extracurriculars. The other day we started back to school shopping which means it was also time to pull out the…

  • back to school matching printable
    family - parenting

    Back to School Matching Printables #BTS

    August 11, 2015 - By 

    It’s August, which means some of you will have kids going back to school soon. Where did the summer go? Are your little people excited about going back soon, or do they want more summer? Have you started your back to school shopping or preparation? I have to admit I like the routine returning to some semblance of normal. BUT I like the summer even more. Now if only summer was less expensive. I am tapped out of money from all the summer camps. I really noticed the cost this year. In the spirit of back to school and saving…

  • adoption and end of school year
    adoption and tweens - family - Health - parenting - Parenting

    Adoption and End of School Year – Buckle Up, It’s Going to Be a Bumpy Ride #adoption

    May 22, 2015 - By 

    OH MAN! I have been sitting on this one for a bit so it’s likely to all come out in a big incoherent mess. But here it is. Life as an adoptee, or an adoptive parent at the end of the school year can be a mess of conflicting emotions. I get it. I do. It is hard and sloppy and somehow this is usually where I find my zen because when the kids come completely unhinged I shove aside most things and retreat to inner calm with purpose because they require it. I am not quite there yet this…

  • family

    2015 Fashion Trends for Prom Dresses

    May 5, 2015 - By 

    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,…

  • sex-education-curriculum-Ontario
    family - Health - infertility - parenting

    Should Sex Education Curriculum in Ontario Also Include Infertility and Fertility?

    March 23, 2015 - By 

    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,…