Are you tired of nagging? This simple strategy can help!

Posted on June 14, 2016 by Karen Hay, RN

No parent wants to nag their children.  As a Type A personality mom running a busy household, I must confess to sometimes wearing the Queen of Nagging crown.  It was really no surprise that I frequently got sighs and eye rolls from my kids, not to mention a lack of cooperation.  I really couldn’t blame them; even I was tired of hearing my own voice nagging, “don’t leave your toys on the floor,” “no crafts in the living room,” “stop jumping on the couch!” The kids were sick of it and I was sick of it too.  It just wasn’t good for anyone.

Luckily for my family, I started a new job that provided me with lots of positive parenting training.   As a parent, I was using many of the positive parenting strategies we were discussing, but there were some new ones I was anxious to try out with my own kids.  The strategy that stuck with me most was: Continue reading →

Posted in Children & Tweens, Parenting, Parenting Your Child/Tween, Parenting Your Toddler & Preschooler, Toddlers & Preschoolers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Sunscreen, teens and cool shades!

Posted on June 1, 2016 by Cynthia Lindsay RN

When my children were young, I constantly helped them to apply sunscreen. It was always on my radar to slather, swim and repeat! I’d give them a large brimmed hat and some wacky race car sunglasses and voilà! they were protected and running around without a care in the world.

Now that my kids are growing into these young, private and independent teens, there is no way they’re letting me help to apply sunscreen…I mean NO way! They are much too concerned with fashion and fitting in. So what can we do to help protect them?

Well, first off, you can hope that by now you’ve instilled in them the importance and ways of sun protection (fingers crossed!). If you haven’t, it’s never too late for a refresher. Continue reading →

Posted in Children & Tweens, Keeping Your Child/Tween Safe, Keeping Your Teen Safe, Parenting, Parenting Your Child/Tween, Parenting Your Teen, Teens | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Do you know these 6 ways to protect baby from the sun?

Posted on May 30, 2016 by Andrea Scott RN

6 ways to protect baby from the sun

Did you know that one or two severe sunburns during childhood can double the risk of getting skin cancer later in life? Infants’ skin is at greater risk of sunburn from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays due to their thin, sensitive skin. Follow these tips to give your baby a good start in their skin health for life: Continue reading →

Posted in Babies, Keeping Your Baby Safe, Parenting, Parenting Your Baby, Play, Growth & Development for Babies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Top 10 life skills for teens

Posted on May 19, 2016 by Cynthia Lindsay RN

My co-worker Andrea wrote a great blog recently called Top 3 “Big Kid Skills” to learn before kindergarten. This got me thinking – what about my teenagers, and what skills will they need to be competent and successful in the next stage of their life?

Halton schools do a great job preparing kids academically, but it is our job as parents to ensure our children can take care of themselves in the world. It’s the simple things that will help them – life skills that will increase their confidence and pride at the same time as allowing them to become increasingly independent (I’ve seen this first-hand). Continue reading →

Posted in Children & Tweens, Emotional Well-Being & Mental Health for Your Child/Tween, Emotional Well-Being & Mental Health for Your Teen, Healthy Eating for Your Child/Tween, Healthy Eating for your Teen, Keeping Your Child/Tween Safe, Keeping Your Teen Safe, Parenting, Parenting Your Child/Tween, Parenting Your Teen, Teens | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

What you need to know before your baby is born

Posted on May 16, 2016 by Andrea Scott RN

On the day of your baby’s birth, she will sleep a lot and won’t cry much. You and your partner will have lots of energy – even if birth was exhausting – thanks to a helpful burst of adrenaline. You may also have lots of visitors holding baby and wanting to chat. It’s an exciting time for everyone!

What happens next is so predictable that when I was a nurse working on a postpartum floor, I knew exactly which families would need the most support on my night shifts. New parents all around the world experience much the same thing. Continue reading →

Posted in Babies, Breastfeeding Your Baby, Parenting, Parenting Your Baby, Play, Growth & Development for Babies, Pregnancy, Preparing to Breastfeed | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments