HaltonParents

New tobacco products are gaining popularity with our youth. Know the FACTS!

Posted on January 23, 2014 by Cynthia Lindsay RN

This week is National non smoking week and I’d like to start by saying we have a lot to celebrate. Smoking rates have decreased over the last decade, especially in our youth. Hooray! Decreasing tobacco use by teens is definitely something to cheer about.

So if rates are dropping and we know the harmful effects of cigarettes… what’s there left to talk about? Well let me tell you there is a lot I didn’t know. For instance, did you know there are new emerging tobacco trends that are quickly gaining popularity among our youth? Continue reading →

Posted in Alcohol, Tobacco & Drugs, Children & Tweens, Keeping Your Child/Tween Safe, Keeping Your Teen Safe, Parenting, Parenting Your Child/Tween, Parenting Your Teen, Teen Brain, Teens | Tagged cigarettes, e-cigarettes, hookah, Mental Health, nicotine, non smoking, Physical Health, school health, Smoking, teens, tobacco, water pipes, youth | 3 Comments

Family Dinners – Important for Babies and Toddlers Too

Posted on January 21, 2014 by Andrea Scott RN

It is soooo tempting to serve two dinners on weeknights when you’ve got an older baby, toddler or preschooler at home. Young kids need to eat early, dinners with them can be hectic, and the foods they prefer may not be what you would consider dinner-worthy. Plus, the idea of having a quiet dinner with your partner once the kids are asleep sounds heavenly.

It does sounds great, but I’ve made it my goal, whenever humanly possible, to eat our dinners as a family. Even before my daughter was eating solids, we tried to “include” her in our meals by having her near us if she was awake, practising sitting in her high chair once she was able to support her head.

Easy enough while on maternity leave, right? Well, while being a working mom has made dinners as a family pretty difficult, I still think it is totally worth it. Continue reading →

Posted in Babies, Feeding Your Baby in the First Year, Healthy Eating for Toddlers & Preschoolers, Parenting, Parenting Your Baby, Parenting Your Toddler & Preschooler, Toddlers & Preschoolers | Tagged connect, dinner, eat together, eating together, family, family assets, family meal, Feeding Your Baby in the First Year, Physical Health, week night dinner | 4 Comments

Exam Stress: 10 Must Do’s for Parents!

Posted on January 15, 2014 by Cynthia Lindsay RN

Updated January 9, 2025

High school life is full of new and exciting opportunities, not only socially but academically. Along with mandatory courses, teens often get to choose great interest courses. It’s an exciting playground for them. As parents, we try and let them explore, discover and find their interests and focus. All the while supporting and providing guidance.

While our teens may be able to handle their daily school and homework assignments, exam time is different. Anyone with a high school teen knows this is a time of increased stress levels. Unfortunately, teen brains don’t learn or retain information when they are under too much stress so parent support during this time is important.

High school student studying in bedroom with laptop, pen and paper, wearing headphones around neck.

Whether your teen: a) appears unscathed about exams, asking to go to the movies the night before with an aloofness that makes you want to snap “Are you kidding me!”… OR b) has barricaded themselves in their room, refusing to take breaks or eat… OR c) is hopefully somewhere in between, everyone can use support during high stress times. Even as adults we appreciate support.

Continue reading →

Posted in Emotional Well-Being & Mental Health for Your Teen, Healthy Eating for your Teen, Parenting, Parenting Your Teen, Teens, Transition to High School | Tagged coping with exams, exam stress, exams, Mental Health, parenting during stress, school, school health, stress | Leave a comment

Getting through the Winter Blahs…

Posted on January 13, 2014 by Cynthia Lindsay RN

The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is officially over. I’m left with bills, a few extra pounds, cold weather and short days. Not very motivating. The hum drum of January can seem so dreary. It’s dark when I leave in the morning and dark when I get home. Even though it was like this in December, I’m usually so busy preparing for the holidays it doesn’t seem to bother me as much. January is the start of my winter blahs, where it’s hard to do anything but snuggle up with a warm blanket, some comfort food, and sleep, only to wake after hibernation.

These next few months will be challenging to keep moving full steam ahead. A lack of sunlight exposure makes it especially hard. While younger kids still get out for recesses during the school day, many teens do not and may be lacking exposure to daily sunlight or enough activity. This can lead to sadness, fatigue, irritability and/or anxiety. Continue reading →

Posted in Babies, Children & Tweens, Depression & Anxiety After Birth, Parenting, Parenting Your Baby, Parenting Your Child/Tween, Parenting Your Teen, Parenting Your Toddler & Preschooler, Teens, Toddlers & Preschoolers | Tagged comfort food, exercise, Feeding Your Baby in the First Year, Mental Health, sad, school, seasonal affective disorder, surviving winter, winter, winter blues | 2 Comments

Here’s to the Family!

Posted on January 9, 2014 by Paula D'Orazio

Happy (belated) New Year everyone!

So, since most of us have abandoned, cheated on or at least considered ditching (or perhaps massaging the strict parameters of) our resolutions by now, let’s make one that we can all stick to without a whole lotta effort. Sound good?

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the United Nations’ International Year of the Family. To mark this occasion, HaltonParents will be putting family first and we hope you will too. Continue reading →