Ages & Stages - Baby

Snow day is no day to be bored

As a new parent, you probably rely on getting out with your baby to keep your sanity. This winter has been a double-whammy – both the pandemic and the snow have been keeping us indoors more than we’d like.\With a […]

Is baby ready for solids?

Here are the top tips for transitioning your baby from formula to solids For new parents, it may seem overwhelming to begin transitioning your baby to solid foods. When making the leap from formula to solids, there are many questions […]

Protect yourself from parental burnout

Have a newborn? Establish those good habits now, Laurie Warren writes                                                       Parenting can be amazing and a gift and most parents wouldn’t trade it for the world. Yet the truth is, parenting can also be difficult, exhausting, and fraught […]

Preventing food allergies

Here’s how to separate fact from fiction, writes Dr. Paul Roumeliotis In the past, it was recommended that parents wait until babies were older than one year before feeding them certain highly allergenic foods, like eggs, fish, or berries, especially […]

Spit up got you down?

Not to worry, writes Dr. Paul Roumeliotis – infant regurgitation is very common Spitting up, or regurgitation, is very common during a baby’s first few months of life. About 40 percent of normal, healthy babies spit up, usually right after […]

Ages & Stages - Kids

Learning begins at home

Spending more time around the house during the pandemic? It’s an opportunity for parents and guardians to teach their children, writes Dr. Michael Ungar                                 […]

Step outside

Spending time in a backyard green space is good for kids of all ages, and can relieve stress and anxiety due to COVID-19, writes Kris Kiser You don’t have to go far to experience nature. It actually starts right outside […]

Scratch that

A common problem that affects children in daycare and school, lice can quickly be spread to whole families, Carolina Surma writes                                        […]

Beyond please and thanks

Author of Manners and Me: An EasyPeasy Guide for Kids and the Grown-Ups Who Love Them, Nancy Dorrier gives the lowdown on minding your Ps and Qs Learning good manners is important because it helps us in our relationships and […]

‘My child is always sick’

The average child attending daycare will be sick a dozen times in the first year   Typically, as kids begin school or daycare, parents notice that their child is seemingly always sick. This is a very common complaint, and in […]

Ages & Stages - Prenatal

What will you feed your baby?

What do all those names really mean? Now – before baby arrives – is the time to do your research   It may seem like a far-off event, but before you know it, your new baby will be exploring the […]

No time like the present

Here are four reasons why COVID-19 shouldn’t stop you from opening an RESP   When it comes to opening an RESP for your child, earlier is better – with some savvy parents starting to save even before their child is […]

Getting fit after baby

Fitness guru – and mother of four – Nikki Clarke helps get you in shape postpartum Daily movement is one of the most important things humans can do to keep themselves both physically and mentally strong, and this especially rings […]

Good sleep habits start at birth

Sleep problems – the most common complaints of new parents – should be addressed early, says Dr. Paul Roumeliotis   On average, most newborns sleep about 16.5 hours per day, but some may sleep as little as nine hours, and […]

Ages & Stages - Toddler

Superkids

Imaginative play helps kids to grow. Here’s how   It’s important for kids to have imaginative playtime everyday, according to The Genius of Play, a non-profit initiative whose mission is to educate parents and caregivers about the benefits of play and to inspire families […]

A shocking statistic

Here’s how to keep your kids safe from electrical harm at home   From gates on stairs to locks on cabinet doors, parents do their best to keep their children safe from in-home dangers, but one that is often overlooked […]

Bottoms up

It’s a scorcher out there. Is your toddler drinking enough water? Bryan Sarlitt asks the big question   If you feel like your family doesn’t drink enough water throughout the day, you’re not alone. In fact, a recent survey found […]

How green spaces benefit kids

Here are five health benefits you might not have known, Kris Kiser writes Now that spring is here, have you ever considered how our green spaces contribute to your child’s health? Studies show that green space and landscaping contribute to […]

Is your child having a challenging day?

Here are five ways to respond, writes Mark Borg, Jr.   Even if our kids are perfectly polite and well-behaved out in public, most will, at least occasionally, act out at home. But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Because our […]

Ages & Stages - Tweens & Teens

Dreams into reality

Parents, help your preteens discover their talents, Dan Scott writes In her book, Teach Your Children Well, child psychologist and Madeline Levine says that discovering one’s sense of self is the primary task of elementary children. By the time a […]

Looking ahead

Being prepared is the key to helping your daughter handle her first period Your daughter’s first period can be an exciting time for her, but it can also be a little scary. Everyone’s period is different, so being properly equipped […]

Dad's Corner

Parenting outside the box

When I was young, I came into possession of a worn copy of the Faber Book of Reportage.  Nestled within its brittle pages, I found a most intriguing instance of creative parenting, dating back some 500 years. It was a […]

Joyride

During the pandemic, entertainment is sometimes just a hop, skip – or LRT ride – away In all the years I’ve been writing about the Confederation Line, I never guessed I’d be joy-riding the LRT system simply for something to […]

Stranded!

With nowhere to go, columnist Chris Hunt finds himself right where he belongs – with the people he loves   Years ago, I read an autobiography of a New Zealander who decided city living was no longer what it was […]

Not for the faint of heart

Ottawa winters can be quite brutal – but for the sake of his son, you’ll find columnist Jon Willing outdoors… and loving it   The older I get, the less hardy I’ve become in Ottawa’s cold, damp winters. Winter activities […]

Time for change

If we could see the world through the eyes of our children, we might be better off, writes Chris Hunt My son sits beside me on the couch.  His head, warm and improbably heavy, rests on my shoulder.  We are […]