I have my six-year-old twins in this fantastic piano program: it’s interactive, it’s fun, and it’s instructive. Unfortunately it’s also parented, which means once a week I get to sit through the longest hour of my life. It would be fine if I didn’t have the problem child. Most weeks it’s William, but sometimes Vivian […]
parenting
Teaching, Kids and Beauty
Last week, I was invited to attend a Teachers’ Gala at a posh downtown hotel. It included a full day conference where we shared best practices and listened to Dr. Phil McRae’s phenomenal research on trends in education over the next 20 years. The day-long celebration also included a semi-formal dinner. We were told to […]
5 Ways Blogging Is Like Parenting
When I launched this blog 17 months ago, my first post was entitled “How Starting a Blog is Like Having Twins.” Now, 170 posts later, I feel like I’ve been living in Blogville for a while. In fact, because the world of blogging is relatively new compared to when Neanderthals grunted their way around, I […]
Routines, Apples, and Underwear
Most of my at-home evenings look the same. They involve my husband relaxing upstairs, watching his favourite sports team lose (Toronto Raptors, Toronto Maple Leafs, Canada’s Rugby Team) and me pfaffing on my laptop in our library, sometimes writing, sometimes tweeting, sometimes chatting with Kelly from Dances with Chaos. The second part of this routine […]
Kids + Cooking with Plastic Food = Entertainment
My six-year-old twins, Vivian and William, have decided to open a restaurant. Vivian is the maitre d’, the chef, the owner, and the waitress. William is the guy who trails after her. Think Remy from Ratatouille, without the influence. So, I’m sitting (which, according to my son, is my best skill) when the basement door […]
Surviving the First Week with Newborns
Just over a week ago, my new blogging buddy, Rob Shep and his lovely wife Monica, celebrated the birth of twins. Their son Hayden has been home for a bit, and yesterday their daughter Reese was discharged from the hospital. This post is a Welcome Home message for all of them. And a walk down […]
Children: the world’s first poets
My daughter, Vivian, loves words. I know, because she uses a lot of them, some of which I even listen to. When she really wants my attention, she writes notes. When I came home after a three hour writing session, this was taped to our front door: Last week, after I vacuumed the shards of […]
The Art of Entertaining Children on a Road Trip
It’s Spring Break, or as I called it last year, Spring Break-down. So far, after four consecutive full days with my kids, I’m still remarkably composed. I haven’t been overly tempted to lock them in the closet, at least not for a long period; I’ve also locked myself in my walk-in closet only once during […]
3 Things You Should Never Teach Your Children
1. What Sarcasm Is It’s not much of a secret that I unsheathe my sarcasm sword regularly. When William knocks his glass of milk on the floor, I can’t stop myself from quipping, “Thanks for the help cleaning up.” It’s not going to get me any Parent of the Year nominations, but it’s my style. […]
Explaining the 80s to Children
I have a love-hate relationship with school dress-up days. While Pajama Day can be fun (who doesn’t love spending a whole day in flannels), other days, like Crazy Pants Day, can require a bit more planning, not to mention a glue gun. My kids’ elementary school recently held 80’s Day. If you’re six-years-old, the eighties […]