I know you’ve heard about Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament, where guests journey back in time, enjoying a four-course medieval feast (eaten only with the hands, of course) while taking in games of skill, falcon and Andalusian stallion performances and the main event: the jousting knights! This week, we visited the Toronto Castle (the only […] Read more…
Win a Family Pass to Santa’s Village!
Let me make this clear: if you have young children, you want them to experience the magic and fun of Santa’s Village in Bracebridge, Ontario. Last year, we took the girls (for the third time) and they had an absolute blast! (You can read the full review of our visit to Santa’s Village here: http://thismomloves.ca/2013/07/23/win-family-pass-to-santas-village-2/) Did […] Read more…
That Day We Cuddled Lion Cubs: Family Fun at The Bowmanville Zoo – Plus Discount!
So, it was just a totally normal weekend for us. Do some laundry, run some errands, cuddle some lion cubs. Wait, what??? Yep – we were invited to a very special blogger event at the Bowmanville Zoo, and I’m going to skip right to the highlight: the opportunity to play with, cuddle and get photos […] Read more…
Important Note and Summer Screen Time Rules: What Are Yours?
Exciting note almost totally unrelated to this post: In the next few weeks, I’m going to have the opportunity to go behind-the-scenes at two of my (and maybe your) favourite TV shows. I’ll be posting here after the fact, but I’ll be live-tweeting and Facebooking while I’m there, and I don’t want you to miss […] Read more…
Vacation (or Staycation) In Beautiful Peterborough, Ontario
As many of you know, I grew up out in the country, a 20 minute drive east of Peterborough, which we always referred to as “town”. Then when I started teaching, I lived right in the heart of the city (Charlotte Towers to be exact) for three years, before building a house out in the […] Read more…
Getting Kids Involved in Charity and Social Justice
I have been so blessed in my life, and I always feel like I should be doing more to give back. I’m quick to make charitable donations, partly because I have the luxury of time often meaning more to me than money. I give to the church, and I love to pledge friends who are […] Read more…
What Phase Are You At? Newborn Poo, Loose Teeth, Performance Anxiety and Teen Shaving
I know, I know, the title is a bit of a wordy mish-mash (which covers a huge range of parenting phases), but today I want to share links to my most recent published articles. From Today’s Parent: Newborn Guide to Infant Poop (I joked on Twitter that this was the “dirtiest” article I’ve written yet!) […] Read more…
In Defense of School Dress Codes
With the warm weather finally here, the idea of dress codes for children seems to have become a hot (no pun intended) topic. Let me be clear that I am not commenting directly on recent events regarding dress codes at other schools, because without having all of the information, I am very hesitant to give […] Read more…
When To Let Kids Solve Their Own Problems -and- Does Your Child Have Performance Anxiety?
A quick writing update: In the May issue of Today’s Parent (or at the link below) you can find my latest article, “Problem Solvers”, on when (and how) to let kids solve their own problems, whether it’s an issue with a peer or an adult. As a teacher, I certainly have strong feelings about this, and […] Read more…
About Time…Alarm Clock Time
We have reached a milestone phase in our family. I have officially changed the time of my weekday alarm clock. When I first went back to work after my mat leave with Maggie, almost five years ago, it was necessary for my alarm to go off at 6:00 a.m. I would enjoy one lazy snooze, […] Read more…