HaltonParents

The Circle of Giving Back

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Carolyn Wilkie, RN

Growing up in the 1970-80’s, I don’t remember intentional “Pay it forward” days or knocking on doors for community food drives, but I do remember participating with both Brownies and Girl Guides. We did group activities like “clean up your park” or the annual Christmas shopping trip with dependent seniors. We earned new badges for our caring efforts and promising to: “do our best, do our duty…and to help others.”

Looking back, I’m not sure if at the tender age of 8, I totally understood what that promise meant, but I knew I was to be kind, thoughtful and helpful. Standing side by side, in the big Brownie circle, I was serious about this oath and felt the weight of its meaning as I held my right hand and two fingers up high. Continue reading →

Posted in Babies, Children & Tweens, Emotional Well-Being & Mental Health for Your Child/Tween, Emotional Well-Being & Mental Health for Your Teen, Parenting, Parenting Your Baby, Parenting Your Child/Tween, Parenting Your Teen, Parenting Your Toddler & Preschooler, Teens, Toddlers & Preschoolers | Tagged bucket filling, caring, developmental assets, giving back, Mental Health, pay it forward, school, the gift of giving back, volunteer, volunteer halton | Leave a comment

Parents: Are your phones really smart?

Posted on September 22, 2014 by Cynthia Lindsay RN

Let’s talk about phones, growing up I had one.
It was in the living room, and talking was fun.

Then they became cordless, nothing was tying us down.
Now in my room I went, and talked ’bout things that were all over town.

Then there was cellular, what on earth was that?
I soon found we could always chat!

Every year phones seemed to change.
To me it was bit strange. Continue reading →

Posted in Babies, Children & Tweens, Parenting, Parenting Your Baby, Parenting Your Child/Tween, Parenting Your Teen, Parenting Your Toddler & Preschooler, Teens, Toddlers & Preschoolers | Tagged Mental Health, parents, phones, physical activity, Physical Health, play, school, school health, smart phones | Leave a comment

Finding “ME” time as a parent… Is it really possible?

Posted on September 18, 2014 by Carolyn Wilkie, RN

Why is it the moment nature desperately calls or your best friend rings from overseas after months without connection, or you are toe deep into that warmly filled bathtub one of your toughest weeks when your kids “hunt” you down and need you NOW? When I say “hunt” I mean “Man Tracker” style. It doesn’t matter if you have found the most discreet spot in your home or have the bathroom door locked; kids can sniff you out like hounds.

Of course, once found, the thunderous door banging starts (never a soft knock). Then the familiar questions begin “Mom…what are you doing? Why is the door locked? Can I come in?” Depending on their age these sentences vary between babbles, broken sentences, and hints of sarcasm. “Seriously?” is what runs through my mind, among other choice words. Continue reading →

Posted in Babies, Children & Tweens, Parenting, Parenting Your Baby, Parenting Your Child/Tween, Parenting Your Toddler & Preschooler, Toddlers & Preschoolers | Tagged alone time, attachment, attachment parenting, me time, Mental Health, Physical Health, rejuvenation, relaxing, schedule, school, school health, taking a break | 3 Comments

Rethink your drink! The “good to know” about sugary drinks and kids!

Posted on September 15, 2014 by Cynthia Lindsay RN

Anyone reading this blog who knows me… knows my vice. I drink pop. There I’ve admitted it! I don’t drink coffee, never have, never liked the taste of it. But I do really enjoy my caffeinated pop in a glass full of ice! Now having just exposed my secret to the “world”, as an adult I want to add… I do know that it has no nutritional value. None, zip, nada!

And since having kids I’ve wanted to role model healthy behaviours. I started early and set a rule for my kids. It was as follows: Sugary drinks had nothing (or very little) to help you grow – so it was only a treat you could have after the age of 5yrs. My kids sometimes balked at us when they noticed friends who were allowed pop – but I stuck to our rules. Now looking back – OMG 5 years old is so young!! Too young really.

There are so many better options than sugary drinks for our kids, so why do they still drink so many of them? Well there are several reasons: Continue reading →

Posted in Children & Tweens, Healthy Eating for Toddlers & Preschoolers, Healthy Eating for Your Child/Tween, Healthy Eating for your Teen, Parenting, Teens, Toddlers & Preschoolers | Tagged drink, drink options, drinks, energy drinks, juice, Mental Health, milk, Physical Health, pop, rethink, rethink your drink, school, school health, Water | Leave a comment

Why Terry Fox Matters

Posted on September 11, 2014 by Paula D'Orazio

I remember Terry Fox – vividly. I was very young and can recall little else about that early part of my childhood. But I remember him. And I will never, ever forget him.

What Terry Fox did was amazing. It was something no one had ever seen before; a young cancer survivor, with a prosthetic leg, running essentially a marathon-a-day for months on end to raise money for cancer research. His fearlessness and tenacity were startling. Although he was not large in stature, his spirit made him seem 10 feet tall. His smile was magnetic. Through all types of weather and the darkness of night – he ran. Even when he was in pain and his health was failing – he kept on running. Until cancer forced him to end his run, he never gave up. Continue reading →