My son asked me what is the biggest way that I have saved money over the years. My first thought was not the correct answer, which my daughter actually offered. The beauty of this conversation is that not only do I feel that my teens are financially aware, but that they have learned some of my tips along the way. …
2020 not such a bummer of a year after all
Dear 2020, You’ve been getting a lot of flak, but I want to say that I see method in your madness, and I am choosing to focus on the positives you’ve brought us. Firstly, I’d like to thank you for an even closer bond with my teens. I didn’t think it was possible, but our quarantine time strengthened us as …
Winds of change blow hard this September
I am shocked that school is starting again in September. I am even more surprised that they have chosen to start classes earlier in the morning for my teens. Anyone with a teen knows that earlier in the morning does not work well for them. I’m currently grappling with what’s right for my family given the pandemic and I’m questioning …
Homeschooling is no April Fool’s joke
I’ve seen people writing on social media that, with current school closures, perhaps parents will value teachers more and understand the issues that teachers are striking for. For all of us who are trying to keep our children learning while they are off school, this may indeed be correct, but we are in the minority, or so my teens are …
Board/card games sure beat being glued to screen
As opposed to the standard New Year’s resolution column, I’m going with “What I did on my vacation?” In a nutshell, I was focused on maintaining eye-contact with my kids instead of all of our eyeballs being transfixed on electronics, which is, I suppose, resolution-like. For screens, my teens now both have cellphones, then there are the video game consoles, …
Keep door open for kids’ ‘difficult’ questions
When do you have “the” talk with your kids? What content do you include without overwhelming them? Is there a setting that makes it less awkward for everyone? Who should initiate it? It’s not like we can consult the parenting handbook/user manual we get when we have kids. Which talk is “the” talk anymore? It’s not just the birds and …
Canoe tour opens eyes, cements connections
When I was invited to participate in the big canoe tour with Canoes for Conservation, as a friend of the tour operators, I was excited to see for myself what the buzz was about. The big canoe tours being offered on the St. Mary’s River are the hot, new, tourist/local attraction in the Sault and they’re making waves (literally on …
Something nice about ‘new love’
Ahhh, new love. It’s a feeling so intoxicating, so big, it’s like your skin is going to burst open and the joy and hope and promise of a happily ever after is going to jump out of you shining like the brightest, warmest sun and then will start skipping and dancing around the room not caring who’s watching. You wish …
Keep your eyes on the road
The Doors, Roadhouse Blues, lyrics read: “Keep your eyes on the road, your hands upon the wheel.” Who knew that Jim Morrison would be helping us to save $490? Considering the way the song lyrics devolve from there, Morrison wouldn’t be the best spokesperson for the Ministry of Transportation (even if he were alive), but regardless, even if you aren’t …
Cooking Shows Nourish Family with Education, Entertainment
While I don’t like to endorse a lot of screen time, there are moments when television can give me the extra 20 minutes I need to complete the task at hand or to make dinner. Most recently, I combined two birds and found something the children and I enjoy watching, and at the same time it gave me an idea …