If you ask any Canadian parent how they feel about their child’s education experience over the past several months, you’re likely to hear everything from hopeful and excited to anxious and uncertain. Truthfully, I probably fall somewhere in the middle – while I’m feeling mostly positive about my sons’ academic progress, there are times when I question if there’s more I can do to offer additional support, especially when they learn online.
A new survey commissioned by D2L, a global learning technology leader, tells me that I’m not alone. Canadian parents are feeling connected (36%), overwhelmed (29%), and empowered (20%) by online learning platforms as part of their child’s education experience. …
Family
Adventure Has Never Been Bigger: Clifford The Big Red Dog
“Magic is all around us if you just know where to look.” – Mr. Bridwell
Let me start out by saying: Clifford The Big Red Dog is a magical family film. We were offered an exclusive opportunity to view an advanced screening courtesy of eOne, and my boys loved it! The movie has a decidedly innocent throwback appeal; generations of fans of the original literary series have already fallen in love with the over-the-top main character and this movie has been long awaited by children and their parents alike! Here’s the official movie synopsis:
When middle-schooler Emily Elizabeth (Darby Camp) meets a magical animal rescuer (John Cleese) who gifts her a little, red puppy, she never anticipated waking up to find a giant ten-foot hound in her small New York City apartment. While her single mom (Sienna Guillory) is away for business, Emily and her fun but impulsive uncle Casey (Jack Whitehall) set out on an adventure that will keep you on the edge-of-your-seat as our heroes take a bite out of the Big Apple. Based on the beloved Scholastic book character, Clifford will teach the world how to love big!…
Phantom Screens: Five Benefits of Retractable Screen Doors
If you’d like to welcome fresh air into your home, reduce energy costs, enjoy natural lighting and more… this is your sign to purchase a retractable screen door from Phantom Screens.
Our retractable screen door, professionally installed by Ontario Screen Systems Inc., Phantom Screens authorized distributor, is sleek and stylish, easy to use, and most importantly, retracts fully when not in use (preserving the beauty of our balcony door). When we first researched screen doors, our needs were simple: to keep the bugs out. However, with continued use over several months (and seasons), we’ve discovered many surprise benefits, including:
1. Improved air quality = improved mood. You’ve heard the saying, “Like a breath of fresh air” – now sit back and enjoy the real benefits to your emotional well-being and mental clarity when you have fresh air circulating all day long. Phantom Screens retractable screens make it easy – they fit all types of doors including in-swing, out-swing, single, double and slider doors. …
Back to School Tips: Organizing the Entryway
With the new school year just around the corner, I decided it was time to reorganize our home’s entryway. I know it’s not typically associated with back to school preparations, but the foyer actually sees the most traffic and chaos: masks are thrown, shoes are kicked off and lunch bags stay nestled in backpacks (often with leftover food inside – my biggest pet peeve)!
To set up my kids for success, I stopped by Kitchen Stuff Plus and grabbed stylish, affordable accessories to help organize the space. I can’t believe such small changes made such a big impact! Here are my top tips and product recos:
1. Start with large, high quality indoor mat. Especially over the winter months when slush finds its way in the home, you’ll want to ensure that kids know to keep their shoes and boots planted firmly on the doormat. I found this sleek, Harman Textaline ‘Trace’ Vinyl Indoor-Outdoor Mat. Available in an array of designs and sizes, its non-slip backing prevents shifting and skidding, and the mat cleans easily by simply wiping with a damp cloth.
2. Keep it simple: use a coat rack. We have a gorgeous, spacious, mirrored closet adjacent to our foyer… but somehow, my kids haven’t mastered the trick of opening the closet and hanging their coats. (Okay, they’re just lazy. We know this.) After years of nagging I finally decided to simply their lives (and mine) by purchasing this gorgeous, sleek KSP Spoke Metal Coat Rack. A simple and modern design helps tidy up outerwear, and I love that it suits any décor! A wide metal base keeps the coat rack secure. …
Live Your Life in Style: The All-New, All-Hybrid 2021 Toyota Sienna
This year, I’ve been tasked with replacing not one – but TWO – family vehicles. Our leased cars are due back in the spring and summer, and over the past four years, our boys have grown from primary school kids to tweens to teens. Therefore, our “wish list” for a vehicle has evolved somewhat dramatically; having multiple interior power points and ports to charge the kids’ iPads and electronics is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have.
If you told me a few months ago that I’d seriously consider a Toyota Sienna, I would have raised my eyebrows in surprise. Then again, the all-new, all-hybrid 2021 Toyota Sienna has done much to pleasantly surprise me – in the best way possible.
Considered a technology leader for modern families, this boldly designed minivan raises the bar for style, safety, comfort, versatility and fuel efficiency. Quite simply, it’s what a next-generation minivan should be.
First impression: the styling is gorgeous. I expected the 2021 Toyota Sienna to be spacious – but I didn’t expect it to be sexy. The interior boasts a clean and streamlined design with a sleek dashboard, a 9-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system and the innovative Bridge Console, which is the key to allocating personalized space to the driver and front passenger. …
Your 2020 Tax Return: A Little Lift from TurboTax
In keeping with my 2021 resolutions to a) stop procrastinating and b) simplify my life in order to make “a)” a possibility, I’ve decided that this is the year I won’t be scrambling to do my taxes! The best part? You can benefit from my newfound proactiveness: read on for a review of TurboTax Live Full Service, a simple and affordable way to have your taxes done by a real tax expert – without leaving the comfort of your home!
There’s no doubt it’s more important than ever to file correctly and get every dollar we deserve. However, finding work/ life balance in COVID times is also a challenge; both my kids have been learning from home for almost a year, and in between being a parent, entrepreneur, photographer, at-home chef, armchair therapist… sigh, the list goes on!… I don’t necessarily have the time or energy to prepare my own taxes. My main goal heading into this tax season was to obtain the largest possible tax refund while staying safe at home. …
Moving Forward by Giving Back: School Fundraising with Navy & White
This school year looks different. Then again, EVERYTHING looks different.
Now that we’ve officially spent 3/4 of the year getting used to our “new normal”, there’s an unspoken willingness among friends, family and fellow parents to simply move forward. No, 2020 isn’t what we expected. Yes, we will pivot and adjust.
Of course, when it comes to schooling, the changes are more evident than ever. From learning at home to in-class mask wearing and hand sanitizing, we’ve tasked our children and educators to establish new strategies and routines that will allow for continuous learning and development – in a safe, socially responsible manner. …
Back to Routine: Eggcellent Kid-Friendly Meal Ideas
Whether your kids have returned to the classroom or are distance learning from home, one thing hasn’t changed: the need for simple, delicious meal ideas that your littles will love.
This season, I’ve once again teamed up with Burnbrae Farms – a family favourite! – to showcase easy recipes you can make with the kids (or, if you have tweens like me, that they can make on their own!). Burnbrae Farms’ prepared egg products are made with the same delicious shell eggs you love, they just require less time and effort so you can easily incorporate them into your daily routine.
With the tasty egg innovation products available from Burnbrae Farms, there’s simply never been a better time to “Break Out of Your Shell”!
CHEESY BREAKFAST BARS
Cheese, ham and egg goodness in a handheld breakfast bar – yes please! My husband, our resident breakfast chef, adapted the Western Bars recipe featured on Burnbrae Farms’ website. Using two types of cheddar, diced ham, veggies, EGG Creations! Whole Eggs Original and a croissant base, he whipped up an easy and most delicious way to start the day! …
Kids in the Kitchen: Make this Easter EGGcellent!
Friends, read on for two simple ways to get the kids involved with Easter prep!
There comes a point in most children’s lives where they sincerely want to help out in the kitchen. (And let’s be honest: mini chefs are the best.) Whether it’s baking with mom or helping dad prepare breakfast in bed, the enthusiasm with which kids stretch their culinary expertise is downright precious.
So, what better time to let them shine than holidays? Involving kids in special occasion meal prep not only facilitates family bonding and expands picky palettes, it helps children hone a necessary life skill – cooking. …
New Year: A New Way to Invest in Your Child’s Future
Happy 2020, friends!
We’re just a few weeks into the new year and I’m already feeling amazing about my progress. This year, I decided to shun resolutions and instead set goals for improvement that I’m willing to continuously work on. My plan to better nutritional, physical and financial health in 2020 includes:
1) Make better food choices for my family. This includes adopting a more plant-based lifestyle, reducing the amount of processed foods in our diet and making healthier substitutions when possible. It’s definitely a work in progress for me, but this year I’ve communicated my plan to everyone in the family and, so far, have buy-in. Fingers crossed!
2) Get physical, together. Although our family is moderately active, I realized last year that we don’t actually spend time together enjoying physical activities. This year, we’ll be skiing, canoeing, bike riding and ice skating as a family. Our days are busy, so I’m hoping to make this one work!
3) Focus on building the boys’ RESPs. It feels like I blinked and suddenly, my sons will be 12 and 10 years old! Although I created an RESP for each of them many years ago, I’ll admit that I’ve majorly slacked when it comes to contributions. …
This Season, Make Your Miles Count
I know I say this every year, but where did the time go? We’ve snapped our fingers and poof! The holiday season is upon us. And this year, more than ever, I know that many of my friends and followers are looking for ways to give back. In fact, I’ve been so inspired by acts of kindness, generosity and selflessness that I’ve seen all year long! Whether it’s donating time to assist others or offering support to a special cause, there’s no better time to share in the true spirit of the season.
Need a little inspiration? Here’s a quick and simple way to help make a huge impact.
From December 2nd to 8th 2019, Aeroplan, through its annual Mile Matching week, will once again support the Air Canada Foundation Hospital Transportation Program. All miles donated to the Air Canada Foundation during the week will be matched, up to 500,000 miles. These miles help provide flights to children who need specialized health care not available in their hometown. Since the introduction of the Air Canada Foundation Hospital Transportation Program in 2003, hundreds of sick children, accompanied by a parent, have been able to obtain the medical care they needed away from home.
Photo (and feature image): First Steps Photography
I’m blessed to live in a city where medical assistance for both my children is readily available. However, for many parents across the country and beyond, their situation is quite the opposite. In fact, for those children currently undergoing treatment, long road trips can be strenuous for both the child and the parent, especially when several visits to the hospital are required each month or when treatments last several months. …
Mom Health Talk: Catching Up to Stay Ahead
Every so often, I crave mom-to-mom time. I seemed to have an abundance of “mom talk” opportunities when the boys were younger; between play dates, online forums and yes, even Twitter, there was always a chance to ask questions, vent about setbacks or share parenting wins. However, as the boys grow, I’ve found myself less inclined to reach out to other moms. Perhaps it’s because I’ve become more confident in my decisions or I’ve simply “been there, done that” – nevertheless, I’m aware that I’m reaching out less and less as the years go by.
Therefore, I make it a point to connect with my “mom friends” at least once every few weeks. Whether it’s over coffee, for a shopping date, or better yet, both – I think it’s important to continue the parent-focused conversations, especially with those who have children at different ages/stages from my own. It allows me to be both the pupil and the teacher; I can seek advice and “what to expect” from my girlfriends who have tweens and teens, and I can offer comfort and perspective to those raising toddlers and primary-aged children.
What dominated our conversations this month? I recently got together with my friend Georgia from Extra Sparkles Please, who also has two boys (ages 2 and 4). Here’s what we chatted about this time around! …
Messenger Kids: Where Kids Connect
The new school year is underway! For my boys, now in Grade 4 and Grade 6, it means that evenings are filled with homework, lessons and of course, trying to fit in a little screen time. While we tend to argue about how much and how often they are in front of their devices, I can’t deny that electronics are now an essential part of a youth’s life. Simply put, they learn, connect with others and explore boundaries while plugged in.
However, at ages 9 and 11, I’m still not entirely comfortable giving my boys their own devices. I know that many would consider the tween years a responsible age for a first phone, but I also know that my boys are not yet able to demonstrate responsible device usage (they’d play all day and all night if I let them). Therefore, it’s a “no” for now.
Yes, I’m a mean mom. *Rolls eyes*
I do appreciate that they’d like to stay in touch with their peers beyond the classroom and playground, and I’ve been looking for a safe, simple way for them connect – while still having eyes on them to ensure responsible usage. Recently, I was introduced to Messenger Kids. You may already be familiar with Messenger from Facebook; the app works similarly, but is wholly designed with kids in mind. …
Fall in Love with The Westin Ottawa
Fall, besides being my favourite season, is also my favourite time to take a road trip! The cooler weather makes long drives more comfortable; the changing leaves offer a breathtaking backdrop, and the absence of humidity ensures I’ll have better hair days. (Okay, so the last one has nothing to do with road trips.)
We were recently invited by The Westin Ottawa to experience the family-friendly features of their hotel, and we happily accepted! Ottawa is only about a 4-hour drive from the Greater Toronto Area, making it an easy option for weekend getaways. I did some light research about the hotel and its amenities before we arrived, just to have an understanding of how we could pass the time while there.
Translation: I had expectations.
Spoiler alert: Those expectations were exceeded.
Here are three reasons to fall in love with The Westin Ottawa. …
Kia Canada: The Power to Surprise
Around this time, every four years, our dinnertime conversations are peppered with words such as panoramic moon roof, heated seats, horsepower, trunk space… Yes, we are in the market for a new family automobile.
This year, we have a jump start on our selection process, as we were recently treated to an extended, two-week test drive of the newly redesigned 2019 Kia Sorento SXL. Admittedly, I had no prior experience with Kia automobiles, making this partnership the perfect opportunity to experience the brand with no previous biases. Today, nearing the end of our test drive, I can sum up my thoughts on the Kia Sorento quite simply: Yes, Kia – I AM surprised.
Here are my Top Five Surprises with the 2019 Kia Sorento. …
Back-to-School Shopping: Old School Edition!
Tell me back-to-school isn’t the most wonderful time of year. Change my mind! I dare you.
Just like every summer, it seems the time has flown by and we’re already starting to prep for the new school year. Admittedly, I’ve eschewed the mall in years past, preferring to complete my shopping online (often, without input from my boys). I mean, it’s all the same to kids, right?
Except, this year, I don’t have kids. I have young men: Ryder is entering grade 6 and Reid is entering grade 4. They’ve both reached the age where they care about their clothing, shoes (excuse me, “kicks”) and absolutely every accessory that I’ll be sticking a label on (they may be young men, but they still lose stuff all the time). For the first time, they’ve asked to actively participate in back-to-school shopping! Because I have wonderful memories of shopping for all my “must haves” with my mom, I decided to forgo online shopping and take the kids to the mall. The experience? Priceless.
This year, I’m sharing my best tips for back-to-school shopping – the old school way! …
LG Kitchen Memory Rescue: My Mom’s Carrot Cake
To fully appreciate the depth of my excitement over my recent LG Kitchen Memory Rescue experience, I’ll have to share the following background information:
1. Growing up, my mom wasn’t the traditional “pleasantville”-type nurturer. She cooked, yes, and she kept a wonderful home, but baking was not her strength. For the first 20-some years of my life, she only baked one particular cake – semolina-based with raisins. (I disliked it.) Later, in the early 2000s, she expanded her repertoire to include a carrot cake and banana bread.
The good news? I really, really love carrot cake.
2. You know who else loves carrot cake? My childhood best friend, Victoria. In fact, in our early 20s, while everyone else was ordering slices of chocolate truffle and caramel crunch cakes, we were the “uncool” girls enjoying a slice of densely spiced, heavily frosted carrot cake. The combination of earthy carrots, crunchy walnuts and sweetened cream cheese was too irresistible to pass up. In fact, I went on to select carrot cake as my wedding cake and Victoria as my maid of honour.
3. At some point in my mid-twenties, inspired by Chef Anna Olson’s hit television show, “Sugar,” I decided to supplement my Bachelor of Commerce with a Pastry Arts Diploma. I know, polar opposites! But I was lacking motivation in my 9-5 job and decided that pursuing outside interests would be a great way to reinstate passion in my life. When I read in a local newspaper that Anna had opened an artisanal boutique in St. Catharines, Ontario, I was one of the first to visit her in-store and purchase a signed copy of her newest cookbook. …
Make this Valentine’s Day Priceless
Confession: I’m not obsessed with Valentine’s Day. Frankly, it’s not really on my radar at all.
I guess I’ve just never been a candy-and-flowers kind of girl. Early in our relationship, I shared with my then boyfriend (now husband) that I’m mildly allergic to chocolate and inevitably kill all living foliage. This remains true to this day! Therefore, Valentine’s Day for me has always been about spending time together, doing something we love – or maybe trying something new – and remembering that our hearts belong to one another, with or without a fancy greeting card.
Hence, I make it my mission to counteract the commercial-ness of Valentine’s Day with thoughtful gifts and gestures. Some cost money, some don’t cost a thing – (I’m sensing a JLo song in here) – but here are my suggestions for making Valentine’s Day priceless.
1. Time, not things. It’s been a growing trend among my sons’ classmates to attach candy, school supplies and/or removable tattoos with their store-bought Valentines. It’s a fun little treat and I don’t begrudge the goodies for a second. However, this year I encouraged the boys to create “coupons” to attach to their Valentines. These coupons offer their time and expertise, customized to their classmates and how they normally interact with them.
For example, Reid is somewhat of a Beyblade champion, so he has offered a coupon for Beyblade lessons during recess to those friends he thinks would enjoy learning from the “master”. Ryder, who has a vast knowledge of Pokémon, has offered to share trading techniques and intel to those who are interested. The coupons are an out-of-the-box way to show love and kindness on Valentine’s Day, and I hope to make it a tradition! …
Do Try This At Home: Guinness World Records 2019
Ah, fall and winter. We’ve been expecting you.
While the two seasons may be the perfect time to huddle and hibernate, the demands for family-friendly entertainment are actually at an all-time high:
#1. Kids will spend almost all their free time indoors, and, unless you enjoy hearing “I’m bored” approximately every 20 minutes, the responsibility for keeping them busy and happy falls squarely on your shoulders.
#2. The holidays and sprinkling of PA days during the colder seasons create several opportunities for play dates, family get-togethers and reunions with extended family. More kids = more #1 noted above.
You know what? Bring it! I’ve found a way to take family fun to the next level with Guinness World Records 2019!
(Above: Reading about insects and arachnids, obviously.) …
Summer FUN with AIR MILES!
It’s just about the midpoint of summer and I know some mamas are currently in the same boat:
1) The kids are bored. They’ve told us they’re bored. We know they’re bored.
2) The ratio of play time to screen time, previously planned to be about 75:25, has slowly crept up in favour of screen time. The ratio’s about 10:90 now, let’s just be honest.
3) You’d love to plan a family outing, but it’s not always easy (read: affordable) to do everything you want on a limited budget.
And to that I say… AIR MILES Summer Fun to the rescue!
Three cheers for the best time of year! There are tons of things you can see and do with the fam this summer using your Dream Miles. In fact, there’s more selection than ever for Dream Rewards under 1000 Miles, in addition to “show your card” perks where you’ll get instant savings on merchandise and experiences. This is in line with AIR MILES’ ongoing commitment to Canadians to offer new ways in which they bring Collectors closer to what matters to them! …