Jill Amery, Author at Urban Mommies

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Jill Amery

Jill Amery is a mom of 2 small boys and the Publisher of UrbanMommies, a stylish digital lifestyle magazine filled with fitness, style, health, recipes and savvy mom advice to help you through pregnancy, birth, and raising your kids.

Holiday Gift Guide 2017

GEAR, tech, toys By Jill Amery November 22, 2017 2 Comments

It’s here! Our 2017 holiday gift guide will fill your head and heart with our curated ideas for each member of your precious family. It took a lot of hours and much crowd-sourcing but we think we’ve prepared some pretty cool picks, just in time for the Black Friday sales. This year we have 10 guides listed all below, so you needn’t click around. We wish you the merriest of Christmases, the happiest of Hanukkahs and the best Kwanzaa ever. Have a peaceful, joyful season and make every memory with your kids count. xx

Helping Parents Stay Hip With the Latest Toy Trends

GEAR, toys By Jill Amery November 16, 2017 1 Comment

My kids are growing up, and I can’t seem to keep on top of the trends. They come home from school with new words and expressions and I have to check the urban dictionary to figure out if their day was good or bad! The other day my son said that my hat was ‘lit’ and I worried I was on fire. It’s hard to look like a cool mom when you don’t know the ‘savage’ lingo. See? I’m catching on.

As language trends change, so do the popular toys. As a busy mom, I certainly don’t have time to figure out what is popular. It’s a full-time job to help with homework and decipher what they are saying!

Silken Laumann: The Spectrum of Love

EAVESDROP, FAM, health, Overheard By Jill Amery October 25, 2017 No Comments

Many children on the autism spectrum have robust and complicated emotions that they simply can’t express to others in typical ways. Sometimes people around these kids don’t get the normal smiles, hugs and eye contact received as part of typical communication. There are a million ways people can show love – a huge spectrum. I spoke with Olympian and mother of four, Silken Laumann about her experience parenting a 21-year-old daughter named Kilee who is on the autism spectrum. In the podcast below, we speak about self-care, parenting, sport, and how technology can not only teach, but help family connections. Technology can help children discover new ways to express themselves.

Exploring the East Coast in a 2018 Traverse

auto, Canada, GEAR, ROAM By Jill Amery October 24, 2017 No Comments

The more I see of my birthplace, I wish I had explored extensively and heard tons more stories from locals as I grew up. I am feeling abundantly thankful for Chevrolet Canada for inviting me to drive the amazing Traverse around the Bay of Fundy. Youth may be wasted on the young, but travel at any age is never a waste. Even in your own backyard. I vow to take as many road trips and holidays as I possibly can with my family in order to broaden our minds and strengthen our bonds. The kids will have to do the trek through New Brunswick and Nova Scotia with me in the future, because there is nothing like the Maritimes. Sociable!

Family Dinner Etiquette

EAT, family meals By Jill Amery October 11, 2017 3 Comments

Aaah, Sunday dinners. Grandparents everywhere look sceptically at the manners of their grandkids while parents pray they will eat and not completely offend everyone at the table. “Put your napkin on your lap! Chew with your mouth closed!” But it doesn’t have to be like that! Family dinners tend to have enough stress for some people without the addition of insecurity. UrbanMommies sat down with Sunita Padda, Founder of TableSmarts, and got some amazing tips about family dinner etiquette – and garnered a few refreshers of our own. Etiquette can be intimidating, but remember it’s purpose is about making people feel good.

Holiday Trends 2017: Oh Canada

EAT, holidays By Jill Amery October 10, 2017 No Comments

I am a super-collector of thematic decor. Seriously. I actually have an entire room dedicated to Hallowe’en garden gnomes, spring-themed cookie cutters and Christmas nutcrackers. The latter were acquired a few years ago from Canadian Superstore, and the store has since upped the ante with full-on Canadian hockey nutcrackers. (Don’t worry – I put a word in with the designer requesting goalkeeper versions). I will be lining up this year to snag a few of these.

Even Heather Morris’ Kids love Slime

EAVESDROP, Overheard By Jill Amery September 5, 2017 No Comments

Heather Morris of “Glee” and “DWTS” is the mom of two boys: Elijah who was born in 2013 and Owen who was born in Feb. 2016. Guess what? Even celebrities entertain kids with edible slime and Lego!!

On September 3, Heather will go psycho in a new Lifetime movie, “Psycho Wedding Crasher.” This is a totally different role from what viewers saw on “Glee.” (And with no singing or dancing!!!)

The Best Google Home Commands for Parents

GEAR, tech By Jill Amery August 15, 2017 No Comments

I am such a tech lover. It makes me more productive, allows me to have more time for family, and can solve every day frustrations. This is why, from the moment I heard about smart home technology, I embraced every new item I could. Unable to whip out and upgrade my kitchen appliances, I started small with fun and manageable options.

Summer Escapes: Don’t Head to the Cottage Without These Essentials

health By Jill Amery July 28, 2017 43 Comments

For me, the summer means beach days, biking and heading out on the sailboat. In other ‘cottage country’ areas of Canada, packing and space are never such a problem. You can load up on citronella candles, Bollywood-inspired bedding and paper lanterns to round out the decor. On a sailboat, though, it’s all about the Marie Kondo methodology. No duplication, no clutter, and only the items you truly need.

Interactive Storytelling for Kids

tech By Jill Amery July 22, 2017 No Comments

When we watch Netflix, my kids are on the edge of their seats waiting to see what happens next. It makes you wonder, what would happen if they were in charge? Well, thanks to Netflix’s new interactive story telling for kids, you don’t have to wonder anymore. You can see for yourself! It’s like a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book, but on the big screen. How cool is that? One of the first stories you can try it on is Puss in Boots.

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