“Most parents do not ask about discipline because they are so far from the mindset that discipline should even exist anymore,” Judy Trickett, a daycare provider based in Ontario, explains of her experience. Judy’s blog “What Do I Know? I’m Just the Babysitter” is a humorous, often sarcastic series of stories based on her daily [...]
Holidays are usually filled with lots of family and friends, tons of decadent food, too many gifts and irregular schedules. Though these are the things that make the holidays wonderful – they can also have a negative affect on your children. Since routine is so important to kids, two weeks of surprises and indulgence can [...]
My three-year-old daughter is in daycare with her best friend. Unfortunately I think this child is a bad influence, she’s rude and a bit aggressive, doesn’t listen well. I’m worried that her habits will rub off on my daughter. What should I do? For the moment, I would treat the friendship as a learning experience. [...]
My daughter still brings a blankie and teddy bear to daycare every day. Sometimes they get lost and once I forgot them and my daughter was so upset I drove back home to get them. Should I be trying to get her to break this blankie/teddy bear addiction? It’s completely normal and practically universal for [...]
Esther Joseph doesn’t need to read studies or statistics to understand the problems of child abuse. She survived it. Joseph, an advocate against corporal punishment in the home, spent her childhood alternately suffering physical abuse from her mother and emotional abuse from her father. But she doesn’t consider herself a victim. “I’m a survivor of [...]
I have two daughters who are two years apart. Until recently they’ve gotten along so well – the older sibling setting a good example and both sharing well with the other. Now, they fight about everything and it’s driving my husband and I nuts. I am getting sick of intervening, punishing and being the bad [...]
Is it ever OK to use physical discipline on children? Any paediatrician, early childhood development expert or child psychologist would tell you “No. Physical discipline is never recommended and in fact does more harm than good.” This point of view is easy enough to understand, spanking and other forms of harsh discipline have long been [...]
My daughter has been throwing temper tantrums the past few times we’ve been out running errands. I know sometimes she’s tired or bored but I see other mother’s doing the same thing with their children and don’t have to deal with screaming or crying. What can I do to correct this behaviour? Often times temper [...]
I find the various labels for parents today so interesting: helicopter parent, vacation parent, Dragon mother, the “friend” parent etc… I just recently read an article on Canada.com (which I will post below) about a new kind of parent – the free-range parent. Given that most of us are working mothers, overwhelmed with all of [...]
