The pandemic has been a time of stress and upheaval for most families, but some have found a way to transform that chaos into a fresh start. While many of the changes parents have been making are temporary, like working from home and scheduling online playdates, living in lockdown is driving some parents to embrace
Nurture
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
Before the pandemic, I did school drop-offs with minimal fanfare: a quick hug for the kid, maybe a brief wave to the teacher, and I’d walk home with the family dog. After school, my daughter would beg for playground time and, after giving her 20 minutes to swing on the monkey bars or run amok
Not only did we hike, sled, skate and hit up playgrounds (endlessly) with our kids, we started to spend more time outdoors during the school-day, too—no matter the weather. Getting some fresh air was a much-needed break for kids doing virtual school on devices all day, and learning outside is safer than in poorly ventilated
An affordable air purifier to the latest innovation from the makers of the SNOO, parents will love these new baby and kid products coming to stores this spring. Our inboxes are flooded with the latest and greatest in new parenting products every day. From exciting new toys and clever innovations for baby to tools that
Meat-free doesn’t have to be a Monday thing. These ready-made proteins taste great and make plant-based eating a no-brainer. With the refresh of Canada’s Food Guide in early 2019, more and more families are now embracing plant-based meat alternatives—and why not? These vegetarian meats taste great and are kinder on the environment. While cooking without
“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
Rather than feel bad that there’s no dinner reservation on the cal or sexy lingerie in the mail (LOL), let’s make laughter our therapy this Valentine’s Day. Remember last Valentine’s Day, in the Before Times, when this new thing called “coronavirus” was a far-off concern and you might have even had energy to make your
No, there’s no deduction for time spent yelling at kids. But the CRA has introduced a new temporary flat-rate method to accommodate people who worked from home. Here’s how it works. While employees who primarily worked from home have always been able to claim work expenses, for the 2020 taxation year, the Canada Revenue Agency
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
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
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
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