"Mommy... daddy... come play with me."

The kids are off of school, the weather is cold, and it's the perfect time to curl up with a great book. Here are some of the best reads for all ages.

This is a March Break like no other: no family vacations, limited trips to indoor facilities, and way less socializing. However, this could also be a super unique week, with some simple, creative ideas for fun activities to make this a March Break for the memory books!

Looking for something fun to keep the kiddos entertained? My bean and I have done probably hundreds of crafts, a lot of which I have written about. So here are the best crafts ever - fun ideas for both you and the kids.

It's our first official snow day!. While in the midst of a winter storm that extends from the US up to Canada, school closures were announced across Quebec.

A nursery must be many things: a calming environment for an infant to rest and sleep but also a place for play and stimulation. It also needs to be functional, stylish and well-organized. 

This year, why not send a homemade Valentine's Day craft to a long-distance family member or friend? Everyone could use a little pick-me-up, and Valentine's Day is the perfect occasion to tell someone you love them.

We want our kids to have every opportunity available to them, and for my husband and I, it started from the get-go with our son. Any time he showed a remote interest in something, we encouraged it. When he was 2 years old we gave grandparents the go-ahead to buy him a real drum set. He got a…

This is a challenging winter. Without the usual indoor places to escape too (wandering around the mall, indoor activity centres, etc.), I find my bean has a lot of pent-up energy at the end of the day. So, the best way to stave off cabin fever: bundle up and get outside. As long as you're dr…

My bean is now 8 but I've had him cooking in the kitchen with me since he was standing. Not only has it helped widen his palette and made him a more adventurous eater, but I'm hoping it's also helping him hone some life skills so he's not eating ramen throughout his 20s.

It's Teacher Appreciation Week. In years past I went nuts making homemade teacher thank-you gifts. We made them for all the teachers the bean had, from his main teachers to the gym, music and art teachers, lunch monitors, etc. 

We've got to live with the white stuff, so why not embrace it and make it as fun as possible? After all, it's our safest play-place this winter. Check out these 6 ways to make snow play more fun.

How many times in the last 11 months have you heard "I'm bored"? OK, not you saying it in your head... your child whining it while they pick at a thread on their shirt. This said kid is also probably surrounded with toys, books, games and more (ahhh, to be bored like a kid!). So, here are 5 …

I loved living "through" my toddler - all the exploring and the firsts. But it quickly struck me as a parent how often I would build things up, only to have it fall somewhat flatly.

Creating a baby registry, especially when you're a first-time parent, can be extremely daunting - there are just so many products out there, and with little to no experience using any of them, how should you choose?

Every so often, a kid needs a timeout... yes, that dedicated spot where they're told to go when they misbehave. In my household, it started in my toddler's bedroom, until we discovered he was playing during timeout, so now it's in the hallway.

The holidays are an overwhelming time for everyone, especially kids - the influx of toys, visitors, and sweet treats can lead to a fussy, ungrateful kid. So here are a few ways of teaching children gratitude during the holidays.

Whether they prefer the food, the drink, or a little bit of both, we have the best gifts for the foodies in your life. Get your palates ready…

This year, because all of our kids get so many gifts around the holidays, me and my friends made a "no purchased presents" rule this year. But that didn't exclude homemade gifts. So off I went...

Chapter books are a terrific way to get kids and teens into reading, and these series are some of the most popular right now.

One of the best things about having a little one is making holiday crafts with them to give to grandparents, teachers, etc. The bean and I have quite a few faves. Here are our holiday crafts we love:

Everyone wants to find the latest and greatest when it comes to the most in-demand toys of the season. These toys will appeal to even the most discerning kid-testers.

Books are a wonderful way to give a beautiful and useful gift. 

It may not look like it in the photo, but it's below zero. And my son is still insisting on wearing shorts. Even on the first snow, he asked if he could wear shorts under his snow pants.

We could all use a little something to look forward to, and advent calendars are a super fun way to countdown the days to the holidays. Whether you have a kid or you're a kid at heart, here are 6 of the coolest advent calendars you've ever seen - for kids and grownups!

* Disclaimer: I am not going to hold back here... This is a brutally honest post from someone who had one child and stopped because she was so freaked out by the process of birth and the ickiness that followed...

What was the first thing everyone did when they found out I was pregnant seven years ago? Yep: started doling out advice, giving me their pregnancy and parenting books, emailing me articles and blogs and links to "must-have" baby products, etc.

So, here's the thing... we never lie to our son. 

A Halloween celebration wouldn't be complete without the right spooky music. Here are 13 tunes you need on your Halloween soundtrack to keep the frightful fun going all night long.

For kids, the true essence of Halloween isn't really about the pumpkins and the spookiness of it all - it's about the sugar!! Undoubtedly, your kids are going to have their fair share of treats for Halloween, so prepare one of these 8 nutritious Halloween-themed snacks and meals to offset th…

I know, I know... Halloween is just days away. But I've got you: here are 10 homemade costumes you can make in one night with basic stuff you have around your house.

My son has moved into the age of video games. And with the pandemic and my kiddo being an only child, plus the fact he's doing virtual learning, I wrestle with the idea of screentime because it's also his only "socializing" time. 

I'm sick of hearing how "Halloween is cancelled" or "Halloween is ruined" because of COVID. Halloween is a holiday... nothing is wrecked - it's still on the calendar. Now, our typical trick-or-treating, well, yes, this is definitely not going to happen in a pandemic. But there are loads of w…

Halloween may look different this year, but the spirit is alive. Be a hero for children in need this Halloween - UNICEF is calling on Canadian kids and families to turn their trick-or-treating steps into a walk-a-thon. No matter how you’re celebrating, you can be a Halloween Hero and “walk-a…

Fall is an easy time to plan some craft projects because nature has provided you with all the supplies you need! Take a walk or go on a hike, collect some coloured leaves, acorns, pinecones, and more, and try out these 5 crafts for kids to do while at home.

I am grateful. I am soooo grateful. I have a warm and wonderful home, and a partner to share my life with, and I have a beautiful and healthy little boy who literally makes my heart sing every single day. I was thinking about a church homily I heard once about planning for the future but als…

Is there anything more beautiful than fall? The gorgeous foliage, the cool crisp air, and the pumpkin-spice everything - it's all so invigorating. If you're looking for something fun to do to celebrate the autumnal season, check out some of these activities that offer fall fun around the city.

It's happening... as we move into a "red zone," it looks like a second wave of COVID is upon us.

I've found throughout this pandemic, it's easier to just take things one day at a time. Things changed so quickly at the onset of this thing that I had to think this way instead of going nuts... I'm a very planned-out, organized person, so flying by the seat of my pants was no easy feat. But…

Well, excuse my French, but this is a f*cked up birthday! Haha - in my group of friends, we celebrate 40's with a BANG: vacations and chalet rentals and NO KIDS. So, that's not happening... at least, not right now.

This year we are taking part in virtual learning. We were able to jump through the provincial government's ridiculous hoops and obtain a medical exemption letter so he'd be taught at home remotely by teachers (and this mama wouldn't have to take on homeschooling solo... for those of you who …

I'm annoyed. No, more like pissed. I think we parents have all been very patient... we went along with things when they cancelled school for a month and then the rest of the school year, we waited patiently these last few weeks of summer, and now we're coming upon the new school year, and wh…

One of my favourite things to do when I was a kid was to paint on a canvas. There was something about an actual canvas that was different from ordinary paper - it felt "official," and I'd take much more time creating my works of art knowing I was doing them on such a valued commodity.

I've learned, in my seven years of being a mom, that my purse, or what's inside my purse, that can really be a lifeline in a tricky or stressful kid situation. So I always have certain things tucked away in my purse that, if I weren't a mom, I wouldn't necessarily have, but they've saved me …

AHHHHHHH witching hour!!!!!!! You know, that horrendous hour before bedtime where you've exhausted all of your energy and "vroom vroom" sounds and creative mommy or daddy ideas, and you're just counting down the seconds till bath and bedtime?!

Summer... it's startin' to drag a bit, no? Don't get me wrong: I love having my bean home with me. But by the end of a week, where I'm not only trying to work from home but give him a great summer, saying "I'm pooped" is the understatement of the year!

On a scale from 1 to desperate, I think bribing my kids with toys to stay in bed when they wake up in the middle of the night really only falls around 2.

If asked to list important skills to teach their children, most parents might propose social skills, problem-solving, or creativity as necessary to their children’s future success. While developing these abilities is recommended, there is one skill that often fails to come up on lists of thi…

I recently heard a mommy-friend say she doesn't want to go anywhere with her kids where she's not in control of her environment.