This may be surprising to some, but raising kids on the rez during a pandemic has been a blessing for my family—and many others. When COVID-19 hit, my daughter, River-Jaxsen, wasn’t enrolled in public school yet—she was three, almost four. But we enrolled her in some online classes and began to expand her virtual learning experiences
Nurture
“I’m just, so, tired,” I said to my husband, staggering toward the kitchen table and tenderly sitting down. The pain from the emergency C-section a week ago still felt fresh, and the demands of an extremely hungry newborn left me feeling perpetually hungover. “I’m tired too,” he said. Those words sent me into a rage.
If missing birthday parties or not going to the movies really bugs you, remember that for parents of kids with disabilities, it’s always been this way. In the beginning of the pandemic, almost one year ago (!!) we were all ready to stay home, buckle down for a few months, and take it as an
“What would I do if I had an hour with no balloons making fart noises into my hair during an interview? I don’t know, it sounds dull.”—Catherine Reitman Catherine Reitman opted to show, not tell, and we can only imagine what ridiculous antics her sons came up with when she was running the Workin’ Moms writers
From a kid-friendly treatment for winter skin to blue light-blocking glasses that will help protect their eyes during all of that e-learning, parents will love these new baby and kid products coming to stores in 2021. Our inboxes are flooded with the latest and greatest in new parenting products every day. From exciting new toys
From sprouted-grain bread to superfood smoothies, these yummy breakfast staples get the day started right. They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so why not serve up something extra special? Help them rise and shine with these low-sugar, protein-rich packaged foods that you can add to the mix of whole foods
Having a kid doesn’t affect your taxes a ton, but there are some things you should know about benefits, credits and deductions. Congratulations, you had a baby during the 2020 tax year! Or perhaps you are expecting, and curious how having a kid will affect your taxes. The fact is, having a kid doesn’t affect
Purchases and adoptions of dogs have spiked since last March, when we were asked to stay home. And as I’ve said before, while this is great news for dogs—especially those who’ve been sprung from shelters—lots of families are discovering that dog ownership isn’t always a walk in the park. As a canine behaviour practitioner, I’ve
If the idea of buying life insurance seems like something old people do, think again—every parent needs it. Here’s why and how to get it. What is life insurance? In the unlikely but not implausible case that you or your partner dies, life insurance pays out a predetermined lump sum of money to the surviving
If you haven’t yet started an RESP, or if contributing $2,500 a year to your kid’s education seems completely unrealistic, that’s OK. It’s not too late, and it’s perfectly fine to start small. What is an RESP? A Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) helps parents save for their kid’s post-secondary education. You deposit money into
In major Canadian cities, especially Toronto and Vancouver, families are increasingly living in tight quarters. Some parents are choosing to prioritize being able to walk to work, cafés, cultural centres and sports facilities—perks that were especially enticing pre-pandemic. As Annely Zonena, a project manager in Strategic Initiatives in Toronto’s City Planning Division, describes it, “You
If you’re feeling meh about car shopping, you aren’t alone. A quarter of shoppers say they’d rather have a root canal than negotiate a car deal. Here are some pain-free tips for getting started. A car is one of the most expensive big-ticket items most of us will ever buy. A daunting task at any
You could call a plumber, but try these steps first if your toilet is clogged because your child has flushed something down there. With the kids at home more than ever, I’ve seen a big increase in kid-related plumbing incidents, usually involving toys and other assorted items being flushed down the toilet. If your toilet
1. Lay it all on the table Sit down and finally figure out all the money that’s coming in every month and everything that’s going out. Fixed expenses—the ones that don’t change month to month—typically include rent or a mortgage payment, hydro, cellphone bills and the like. Variable expenses, also called discretionary spending, vary a
Some dogs integrate into a family with kids seamlessly. Others not so much. If you’re wondering, “How can I make sure my dog likes my kids?” try these six strategies. If your family welcomed a dog into your family during the pandemic, you’re definitely not alone. There’s been a big spike in purchases and adoptions
From old and new family traditions to real talk about lowering your expectations, here are some simple ways to make the holidays mean more to your kids than a gift grab. The holidays are upon us, and you know what that means: five overpriced toys, four feuding cousins, three ungrateful kids, two stressed-out parents and
Throughout my childhood, my mom took some creative liberties when it came to Christmas. Sure, other kids believed in Santa, but we were the only ones I knew who also believed in Peeker Elves. According to my mom, Santa sent out pointy-eared spies in the weeks leading up to Christmas to observe our behaviour (this
When Tia Shkolnik’s baby was six months old, she put down a deposit of more than $2,000 to secure a spot in a brand-new child care centre—even though they weren’t planning on sending their daughter to daycare until she was 12 months old. “It’s very hard to find a daycare placement where we live,” explains
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