Getting your kids to all their practices, games, tournaments, competitions, lessons and meetings is one thing, but what about fueling them up with healthy food? When faced with the challenge of feeding my kids in the car on the way to that day’s scheduled extracurricular activities, I find myself wondering: “What on earth do other moms do?”
Has your child been selected (or is thinking of trying out) for a “rep” team? Also called “travel” or “club” teams, these programs offer a more competitive experience than a local “house league.”
I’m a big believer in thank you gifts at the end of the school year. And not just because I used to be a teacher. I’ve given gifts of appreciation to coaches, babysitters, and swimming instructors, too.
I deliberately avoid using the term “staycation.” I don’t like it. It feels like a lame attempt to cover up the fact that my family’s not going away on vacation (which we aren’t) because it’s too expensive (which it is). Am I so desperate to feel like I’m part of the “vacation” scene that I’ll use a made-up word that rhymes with it?
Canada’s Food Guide has had an extreme makeover. Gone are the colour-coded food groups, age-specific recommendations and complicated serving sizes. In their place is an image of a plate, with the left side filled with fruits and vegetables. The upper right quadrant is reserved for “protein foods” (especially plant-based ones), while the bottom right section is for “whole grain foods.” There are no numbers or percentages anywhere. It’s a qualitative, not quantitative, approach.
It’s easy to find things to dislike about winter. There are the obvious ones, like the bone-chilling cold, the ever-present germs, and the dry, cracked skin. There are also the smaller insults, like unexpectedly stepping in a puddle of melted snow that the kids have tracked in.
I cleaned out my toaster the other day. It wasn’t out of boredom – in fact, I had a long list of other things I needed to do. But a rogue scrap of bread had become stuck in the inner metallic grid, which presented a fire hazard. After unplugging the toaster, turning it upside down and unleashing an avalanche of crumbs, I noticed that the outside surface was incredibly grungy. I scrubbed it until it gleamed.
Sunscreen should be a key ingredient of your family’s sun protection plan this summer. The lotions, sticks and sprays on the market today do an impressive job of shielding our skin – that is, when they’re used correctly. Before your family heads out for some fun in the sun, make sure you’re avoiding these sunscreen slip-ups:
Motherhood can do a number on a woman’s hair. Sure, it starts out great with the hormone boost during pregnancy – it’s thicker, fuller and shinier. Once baby arrives, though, it can change significantly in its texture, curl and volume. You might remember some post-baby showers when your once-glorious hair came out in handfuls and went down the drain (along with your hopes of a Pantene endorsement deal).
Mother’s Day is advertised as a day of relaxing and pampering, but what if you get stuck with (um, I mean, “receive the honour of”) hosting the gathering to celebrate it? Naturally, you’ll want to make the experience extra nice for the assembled moms, which may include your mom, mother-in-law, grandma, sister or sister-in-law, among others.