How to talk to your kids about the Rob Ford scandal

Posted on November 8, 2013 by Paula D'Orazio
Mayor Ford speaks to media Tuesday afternoon outside of his office and admits to using crack cocaine.

Image from TheStar.com: Mayor Ford speaks to media Tuesday afternoon and admits to using crack cocaine

Oh, the continuing saga of Toronto mayor, Rob Ford. I think I’m more sick of hearing about that than I am about Pokemon™ cards or Minecraft ™! What a smorgasbord of teachable moments this situation has served up to the unsuspecting parenting masses, huh? And we don’t even live in Toronto!

I’m sure if your family discussions have gone anything like mine over the past few days, your kids (the wee ones, tweens or teens) have asked you some hard questions. Continue reading →

Posted in Alcohol, Tobacco & Drugs, Children & Tweens, Emotional Well-Being & Mental Health for Your Child/Tween, Emotional Well-Being & Mental Health for Your Teen, Keeping Your Child/Tween Safe, Keeping Your Teen Safe, Parenting, Parenting Your Child/Tween, Parenting Your Teen, Teens | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Boys and body image. Does your son look in the mirror?

Posted on November 6, 2013 by Cynthia Lindsay RN

 I had never given a lot of thought about boys and their body image until I became the mother of a son. And what an eye opener it has been as I watch him go through his tween years. Boys struggle with body image too; however it’s different then with girls. Boys typically don’t want to be thin, they want to bulk up, be muscular and strong.

Many inadvertently comment about how big a boy has grown. As if the growth or height of a boy equates to a higher status. Sure we know boys grow at different rates and people come in all different shapes and sizes, however that doesn’t matter in the eye of a young impressionable boy. If he has not started to grow, or is small in stature it’s “perceived” by some boys as type of deficit and a need to change. This can have a long-lasting effect on their self esteem. 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, Parenting, Parenting Your Child/Tween, Parenting Your Teen, Teens | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Mirror mirror on the wall…

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Paula D'Orazio

Every name I got called. Every taunt, every mocking facial expression directed my way. Anyone who ever made a negative comment about my weight, height or appearance…I remember. Vividly.

I’ve long pondered whether there was something emotionally wrong with me. Why did I still recall the name of the girl who called me fat in the fourth grade, yet remember little else about that year? Why can I, to this day, tell you the colour of the bobbles in her ponytail (forest green by the way), yet absolutely nothing about my teacher, the holiday concert or any other detail of my 10th year of life? Hmmmm.

As I’ve said in the past, words hurt. They are very powerful tools. They can lift a person up or slam them to the ground. Much more than the impact of sticks or stones, words are uttered in a moment and felt over a lifetime. 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, Parenting, Parenting Your Child/Tween, Parenting Your Teen, Parenting Your Toddler & Preschooler, Play, Growth & Development, Teens, Toddlers & Preschoolers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

“Sacrifices” during Pregnancy – totally worth it

Posted on November 1, 2013 by Andrea Scott RN

There’s a lot of chatter lately about the sacrifices one is expected to make during pregnancy. The controversy stems from the new book, “Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong-and What You Really Need to Know” by Emily Oster. Oster is an economist – not a health professional – and we’re concerned about her claims. For example, check out this response from Canada Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Research Network. (If you want even more information, see the NOFAS response, which includes a breakdown of the facts.)

I get it. It’s no fun having to turn down the glass of wine offered at girls’ night out when you’re two months along (a sure-fire way to set off the “OMGareyoupregnant?!” barrage of questions). Turning down the delicious homemade Caesar salad dressing my mom made for Thanksgiving because it had raw egg in it. Counting my “real” coffees and drinking lots of decaf. Suffering through that nasty summer cold I caught instead of popping decongestant pills. Saying “no thank you” to the eggnog and soft cheeses at a Christmas party. For a whole nine months! Continue reading →

Posted in Before Pregnancy, Parenting, Pregnancy, Prenatal Health | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Halloween Traditions – How old is too old to Trick or Treat?

Posted on October 28, 2013 by Cynthia Lindsay RN

I love Halloween; it’s one of my favorite times of the year. Halloween is the culmination of fall: the weather is crisp and cool, the vibrant leaves are falling and there is a palpable excitement in the air.  It’s that one time of the year that we all get to enjoy the world of make believe and pretend to be someone else, even if only for a night. However, I’m a little saddened this year because things are changing. My son mentioned he wasn’t sure if he should go out trick or treating. He thought maybe he was too old. Did I mention he’s 12? I’m not sure how this happened so quickly. Continue reading →

Posted in Children & Tweens, Parenting, Parenting Your Child/Tween, Parenting Your Teen, Teens | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment