It's a new year and many of us consider our personal goals or our career goals, but have you considered your parenting goals? Here are 12 parenting tips that will enhance your relationship with your child this year. Be consistent. No matter how tired or fed up you are, consistency is key …
Real Home Sense
Ghosts of Christmas Past
It's just after noon on Christmas Eve and so far I've sent a newsletter out, cleaned the kitchen, cleaned a bathroom, snaked the shower drain, and begun preparations for tonight's fondue dinner with the kids. Christmas has changed so much since my children were replaced with mature teenagers. It's …
I Don’t Like My Children Right Now
The following article was from a column I wrote and was published in the Wasaga Sun on July 30, 1997. I don't like my children right now. Now that you've finished gasping and thinking terrible things about me - I'll explain. I love my kids. They're the best thing that's happened to me, but …
Hypothetical Children Behave Best
The following article was from a column I wrote and was published in the Wasaga Sun on July 16, 1997. Growth Spurts I was a better parent when I didn't have children. My hypothetical children never tantrummed in public. They were incredibly polite. They were never out of control. They …
Happy Halloween!
I found the above picture while looking for my favorite Jack O' Lanterns on Flickr. This is one of the most adorable pictures I've seen. It was taken by KoKo Crispy. While little Jocelyn is just beginning, my children are past the Trick or Treating age. Although I am somewhat happy to not have …
Best Apple Crisp Ever
I began making this apple crisp while living in Toronto. The basic recipe came straight out of an old Betty Crocker cookbook circa 1987, which is likely the year I began enjoying the dessert. While I was working as a counsellor at the Bob Rumball Centre for the Deaf, I would get together for …
