Dear Teachers, Thank you for everything you do. No. Really! Thank you! We always knew that you went above and beyond for your students, but this year has taught us just how much you really do! This school year has been an unprecedented one. COVID-19 took us by storm, and yet you held it all together and took care of your students on and offline (virtually). Who … [Read more...]
Spooky Mummy Halloween Cookies
I'm not sure if these are spooky or super cute mummy Halloween cookies! They're so easy to make that my nine year old daughter and her friend made them all on their own! I always joke that whenever Little One has friends over for a play date or a sleepover, the parents should know that their kids will be bringing home something that they've made (Ugh! Like SLIME!) or baked … [Read more...]
Shocked At What I Have Been Doing To My Child
I am shocked at what I have been doing to my child. "Donne un beau bec!" "Give Grandma a hug!" "Give Uncle George a kiss goodbye!" I had no idea that by telling my child to do these things, I was doing her a tremendous disservice. I grew up in a culture where every adult relative or friend was considered family. Friends of the family were all "aunts" and … [Read more...]
The Giving Effect
Every act of giving inspires another." This, in essence, is what the giving effect is all about. I must admit that I am a sappy person and my loved ones call me a bleeding heart. It's no surprise that when I read or hear of amazing stories that restore my faith in mankind, I get just a little bit emotional. The Giving Effect My seven year-old daughter's class recently … [Read more...]
Addressing Tough Situations with Kids #StreamTeam
Addressing tough situations with kids -- How do we broach certain topics without making things awkward or difficult for our kids? Parenting is not for the faint of heart. When Little One was an infant, I worried about things like whether she was feeding enough, sleeping enough, growing enough, and meeting all her milestones. Yes, on numerous occasions, I even … [Read more...]
The Day Mommy had a Meltdown
Growing up, I don't recall ever seeing my mother cry. I don't recall ever seeing a day that my mom had a meltdown. Sure, my mom would yell at us when we misbehaved or didn't listen, but I never saw her cry. I thought that surely she was the strongest person on the planet. Then I realized when I grew up that no one ever knew if Mom had a meltdown or how often she would … [Read more...]
Family-Friendly Earth Day Ideas
Teaching children to be good stewards to the Earth is important because this is the only Earth we have. It teaches us to respect and value what our planet offers. This is why each year, our family tries to come up with new family-friendly Earth Day ideas. Though every day is Earth Day, and we make treading lighter on the planet part of our lifestyle, on April 22nd, many … [Read more...]
Thirty-One Bags & One Really Great Cause
It's official. I'm obsessed with Thirty-one bags! If there's one thing you may know about me, it's that I'm obsessed with storage solutions and functional solutions. This is mainly due to the fact that our old farm house has absolutely zero storage. No closets in the bedrooms, no storage room...nothing! My husband says the solution to our storage issue is to get rid of … [Read more...]
Things I Learned From My Six Year Old
As I went for my morning walk after bringing Little One to the bus stop and after feeding the animals, I reflected on all the things I learned in time time on this planet. There are so many things I've learned and am constantly learning. I've learned that sometimes the hardest decisions in life are the best at the time. I've learned that it's good to trust, but sometimes … [Read more...]
Why Empty Threats Do Not Work
I will be the first to tell you that I am a rookie mama. I have one child, so that means I've had no previous children to serve as guinea pigs in parenting. Little One is it. It's trial and error for me. Though I've read countless books on parenting and child-rearing and have done ample research (the two child psychology courses I took in university don't count anymore, … [Read more...]
WE Day: We Are All Connected In Our Journey from Me to We #WeDay
We are all connected in our journey from Me to We. If there's one thing I wish to succeed at as a parent, it is to teach my child that there is a larger world outside of ourselves and that we all have a journey from Me to We. At the tender age of six, I believe Little One is on the right track. I see it in how caring, compassionate, empathetic, kind, gentle, giving and … [Read more...]
We Day ~ Will you answer the Call for Change?
When I was ten years old, I wrote a letter to the Minister of the Environment. I penned a letter on a sheet of loose leaf and wanted a call for action since I felt something needed to be done about clear-cutting, deforestation, acidic precipitation, etc, etc, etc. I was ten and I wanted to make a difference. Years later, when I was in high school, I joined the Amnesty … [Read more...]
On September 20th, Rediscover Nature
Last month, I saw a video that had a huge impact on me that it prompted me to write a blog post on childhood. More precisely, it was a blog post about keeping nature a part of childhood. Today, less than 10 % of kids are spending time in nature. That is alarming. When I think of my childhood, most of it was spent outdoors whenever possible. It really makes me sad to … [Read more...]
Fresh from the Farm: Healthy Fundraising for Ontario Schools #FreshFromFarm15
Healthy eating and healthy living are very important to our family. We grow a good portion of our food on our farm and for the food we do not grow, we try to buy locally as much as possible. For me, making sure our six year old knows where her food comes from and how it is grown are also very important. Little One is involved in all aspects of food production from … [Read more...]
The importance of STEM learning
From the moment we discovered we were pregnant, we promised to do everything possible to ensure the well-being and over-all health of that life growing inside the womb. I did everything from making sure to eat healthy, keep hydrated, keep active, and get enough sleep, to reading parenting books and books on pregnancy and what to expect. Once baby was born, the focus was on … [Read more...]