Valentine's Day is a holiday created and consumed by commerce and card manufacturers conning loved ones into buying items they don't really need for a holiday that brings more guilt than gain.
My. little. opinion.
I am anti-Valentine's Day despite my ideas for easy kid Valentine's Day activities with my kids (hey, any reason to do an inexpensive activity with my kids is cool with me).
How do I love thee? Let me craft the ways. Here are some easy kid-led activities for Valentine's day for your little ones to "show" their Valentine love.
Heart in hot chocolate
Have the kids drizzle chocolate in the shape of a heart or have them "draw" a heart shape, with a straw, in the foamy bubble-goodness of their hot chocolate. It's kinda like a hug in a cup.
Do you give your kids an allowance? What is the going weekly rate of allowance for kids these days? What are age-appropriate chores? Or are we just bribing the kids?
Disclosure: For the 1st time in my parenting life, I gave my kids an allowance last week…and I feel guilty.
Google “ear infections and babies” and you get 15,600,000 results. Well, make that 15,600,001 because this post is about ear infections, babies and a parent’s challenge in finding the fix. The right fix for your baby.
This is fun for toddlers and pre-schoolers to play with and easy for kids and tweens to help make. Homemade playdough is family-budget friendly and oh-so-easy to make.
You will need:
Adult supervision using stove
Medium-size pot
Wooden spoon
1 cup flour
1 cup warm water
2 tsps cream of tartar
1 tbsp oil
1/2 cup salt
food colouring
Hint: This is what cream of tartar looks like (it's in the spice aisle—and I share this because it took me forever to find in the grocery store)
Kids and brunch go together like peas and carrots (just don't serve peas and carrots at your brunch table because I can tell you...the kids won't eat them!). Brunch is great for kids because it's easy (easy like Sunday morning*).
Inviting kids to your next brunch? I've got a few kid-friendly tips (you know in case that broccoli quiche doesn't please the little masses).
No camp or vacation plans during school breaks? No worries! I've got a go-to list fabulous activities and outings to do with kids to keep them busy and you organized (and maybe even tire them out enough to go to bed early!).
Swimming. Many city pools have FREE family swim times during school breaks. Physical activity and free go well together n'est pas?
Public libraries. Heated in the winter and air conditioned in the summer the library is a great family destination. (Note to self: sign up for baby reading time)
We all thinks we are DONE holiday gift shopping. Then we do our stocking stuffer inventory or say yes to a Christmas Day drop-in and realize we are a present or two short. Here are some easy kid gift ideas to keep the kids busy (and out of your hair).
Pancakes. Yummy, maplefantastic, goodness. Pancakes are a special treat for my kids (because I hardly ever make them – the bowls, the pan, the spills…my life is too busy for pancakes). THUNDERBOLT!: Someone invented ready to serve Two-Bite pancake bites. Yes, friends it is true…
Made from scratch, buttermilk pancakes from those darling people who make Two-Bite brownies (which if you come to my house – you will find on the right hand side of the snack cupboard. Always). I like those Two-Bite people.
Your child is autistic because you are a frigid Mother. This is the answer (and blame) many Mother's of the 50's received when they searched for help for their autistic children. They were tagged "Refrigerator Mothers" and the cold, mechanic stigma that went with it.
Do we or don’t we? Should we or shouldn’t we? Is it going off the shelves or staying on? The information on children’s cough and cold medicine is, frankly, confusing for parents. It’s time to bring a bit of clarity to the cough and cold conundrum.
Located at the base of the Swarovski Christmas tree (hello 40,000 sparkly, glittery, crystal Swarovski ornaments!) across from the Swarovski store there was a little workshop set up with little chairs and little tables all ready for little fingers to make wonderful ornaments.
Let's de-bug...oops...debunk the head lice myth right now - lice is not because of bad hygiene. It's not because your house is unclean. Lice happens. And when it happens in your house - you want to treat it - STAT!
Some may remember him as Danny Romalotti from The Young and The Restless, some (like me) might even remember his guest appearance on the Facts of Life as Jo's love interest "Flyman". But did you know Michael Damian's latest role is director of family friendly films? I had the chance to interview Michael and chat about the 80's, family movies and Canada...(and yes the entire time his Facts of Life song: "She is from a different world" was playing in my head"...)
When I wrote "Little Girls Should Not Look Like Hookers for Halloween" last year, there was a flurry of comments about sexualizing girls via Halloween costumes. Not one commenter said "Hey I'd buy those fishnets and that corset for my 10 year old." So if no one is buying them then why are sexy tween girl costumes still on store shelves?!
Easy, fast and FREE the internet is full of Halloween printables for your kids. You don't need to be Martha Stewart to decorate your house for Halloween - you just need to visit her site...and others like it...which have tons of ready to print activities for your kids.
Martha has a great creepy mice printable which you can print out and have the kids cut out. Tape them to the stairs, neer a floorboard or have them crawling up the walls.
I was recently asked if I had seen the video of the 2-year-old Chinese girl being run over by two different vehicles while passerby's walked past doing nothing., "Yes, I've heard of it" I responded., "What happened to the little girl?!" my daughter asked. Even if you don't watch viral videos...they come into the home...and what's a parent to do?
Birthdays for tween girls can be tough. They are past princess parties, but yet, too young for rock concerts. So what's the right fit for celebrating the early double digits? I have a few tips for tween girls' birthday parties.
Babysitters Club - Whether they have signed up for the babysitting course, or starting out on their babysitting career, "babysitting" can be an easy theme for a tween girl party.
• Have each girl bring a doll and then you can:
• Play "baby scavenger hunt" finding baby items around the yard or house
The guilt! The anxiety! The crying (mine not the baby's). What causes such overwhelming emotion to a parent? Leaving your baby for the first time...and I'm about to ride that roller coaster.
Whether you're going out on your first date since baby was born, returning to work after parental leave (or in my case) leaving on a work trip - leaving baby is a powerful experience.
Some feel liberated - after carrying the babe for 9 months, being attached at the breast (or hip) to the baby - a break can be a freeing thing.
Write to the troops. Be it your child, their class or the girl guide troop...this is the address to use:
