What would you do if you lost your smartphone? Scary thought isn’t it? Up until a few years ago, the word “iPhone” was a tiny part of our language. And the word itself certainly was not part of anything to … Continued
“That baby is still here.” My 2 ¾ year old son announced this fact to his aunt Marcia, who had come to help us after my daughter’s birth. He could not quite fathom why “that new baby” was still in … Continued
What I’m about to tell you isn’t good news. Climate change is real. When I look 20 or 30 years down the road, I see that the planet is headed for environmental disaster if things don’t shift. There are some … Continued
The theatre was packed. There were hyped up kids everywhere. Nearly 300 little “Royals” were on hand to attend the Prince and Princess Dress Up Party at the Civic Theatre. (our wonderful community owned movie theatre created the event around … Continued
“Who took all of my jewelry out of the box?… and who stole my necklace!?” Your 3 ½ year old looks up at you and straight out says… “I don’t know.” Your jewelry is scattered all over your bedroom. Your … Continued
True or false. Dressing up like a princess turns you into a passive, weak, objectified, underpaid person. I think the answer is false. As a mom, I was always reinforcing to my daughter and son that women are strong and … Continued
“NOOO!” He let out a huge loud, full bodied howl of objection. There was no way he was leaving the store when he was in the middle of such a great experience… The other day a regular customer was getting … Continued
You wouldn’t think that one hour would make that much difference, but it does. I promised myself that this year I’d be prepared for Daylight Savings Time. I’d go to bed a little earlier every day for the week before. … Continued
“How was your birth?” You were probably asked about it often after your baby was born. You probably think about it often. I’m sure you remember -vividly – every birth you have had. I have found that most women, be … Continued
“Judy…there’s water pouring into the basement!!” “I don’t know who to call, so I called you!” She was panicking. That was the frantic call I got last Thursday morning from Jenn, our store manager. The very same Thursday I decided … Continued
He was crying bitterly. He was stomping his feet. He would not take off his boots. Or his jacket. He wanted to go home right now. He was being….very 3, and he did not want to be there. This morning … Continued
No, this is not one of those silly online surveys. I’m not asking you to own up to any secret crushes, or fantasies of pre-commitment days. Nor am I asking you to start worrying about your partner’s time away from … Continued
“He never sits still”, the Mom said sounding exhausted. “ I’m constantly running after him.” “And,” I said. “You never get to sit down.” “Right” she said. “I thought it would get easier once he started walking. But I’m more … Continued
Can you imagine living in a society where reading wasn’t allowed?Throughout history, dictators and religious extremists have used any means possible to prevent children, especially girls, from going to school and learning to read.To those extremists etc, preventing citizens from … Continued
Reese Witherspoon as Cheryl Strayed in Wild. Photo by Anne Marie Fox/Fox Searchlight Pictures A few days ago I went to see the Academy Award nominated movie “Wild” on the big screen. “Wild” tells the real life story of Cheryl … Continued
Are you a good baby? No, that’s not a typo. It’s a real question. And you probably don’t get asked it very much. I was listening to a continuing education webinar today, about Infant Sleep Training Programs, and the instructor … Continued
It was truly breathtaking! The Nutcracker performance was being shown on the Big Screen at the Capitol Theatre to an audience packed with families. Kids of all ages were there. Everyone was captivated and enchanted. And then…the computerized projector froze. … Continued
“This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” she said. Her eyes were wide with awe. She reached up to gently touch the sparkling silver wings that fanned out from the dress. She turned to her Mother and pleaded, … Continued
Yesterday was election Day in British Columbia. There was a huge turnout here in Nelson because it was a hotly contested mayoral race. (Nearly 60% turnout of eligible voters in a town of 10,000) It was really busy when I … Continued
I was going to write about dressing babies for the cold this week. But got sidetracked by all the news about sexual and domestic violence. The topic, of course, is not new. But the fact that it is being brought … Continued
Let’s face it. It’s November. Summer is most definitely over. With the cold chilly rains and snowfalls to come, getting outside is more of a challenge. There are fewer daylight hours and we’re all inside together for long stretches of … Continued
This is not supposed to happen in Canada.The radio program I was listening to was interrupted to report a shooting in our nation’s capital. “An unarmed soldier was shot and killed while standing guard at the Ottawa Cenotaph honouring our … Continued
When my daughter was five she was a flower girl, and wore a gorgeous red satin and lace dress, which she loved. For Halloween that year she decided she wanted to be a Flamenco Dancer and wear that dress. Great… … Continued
As a parent, you are always encouraging your kids to say “thank you.” You want them to be polite and respectful of other people and to show appreciation. When someone gives them something or does something nice for your kids, you always … Continued
It was one of those moments that stuck with me forever. I was a new mom and I was visiting a mom friend who always seemed to be on top of it. I told her how much I admired her … Continued