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.
Father’s Day is a great reminder of how important our dads are. Even as adults, raising our own kids, they have a place in our lives and taking the time to nurture that bond is crucial as we and our dads age. It can be easy to rely on the relationships we have built over time and go into autopilot with making connections, but there is so much we can learn if we take the time to listen to the insights they’ve gained since we spent so much time sitting on their knees. Taking the time to get to know the man our dads have become is a great way to learn more about ourselves and our own futures. My husband is a great dad and my boys are so lucky to have him. Let’s face it, dads are special.
I’ve had many amazing role models in my life, but as far as parenting goals, there’s one person whose experiences have shaped my #motherhoodgoals more than any other. Well before I planned my own family, a co-worker (who became one of my dearest friends) saw her child go into crisis. It had started innocently enough. She told me later that if she’d known the symptoms of a diabetic crisis, she would have worried more. But, as a pre-teen, it was easy to dismiss some of the symptoms as related to a growth spurt.
If a mom sneezes when her kids are too busy playing outside to hear her, does it make a sound? Spring and summer are great opportunities to get out and play with your kids. It’s no fun if sneezing leaves you on the sidelines. They only want to play with you for so long before we become “embarrassing” and “no fun ever.” Take advantage while you can. Make hay while the sun shines, so to speak 😉 Speaking of hay, how about that hay fever, eh?
“Throw away your scale.”
“Just throw it away! Never weigh yourself again.” This is one of the tenets of intuitive eating for several reasons, key among them being the notion that a “bad” weight reading will lead to disgust/discouragement, which can lead to why-do-I-even-try, which can (and in my case, will) lead to a binge. A food extravaganza.
March is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month! What? Are you scratching your head? If you are, please know that arthritis is a condition not exclusive to the elderly. More than 24,000 Canadian kids live with arthritis, and for young bodies in a constant state of growth and development, the condition can be debilitating. Can you imagine sitting out games, choosing not to climb the tree with the other kids, or giving up organized sports due to joint pain and inflammation when you are 10? While most people think of arthritis as an “old persons” disease, arthritis is actually one of the more common disorders resulting in chronic disability in children and teens in Canada.
We are living in a miraculous time. Life is complex, yet we are constantly able to accomplish more and more in the course of a day. Technology continually advances to allow instantly-scheduled meetings or automatic photo printing. Our homes have also become meccas of convenience and efficiency. Interior designers have analyzed life for real people, and our living spaces now reflect adaptations for our realities. For the elderly, this may mean electronic stair lifts and non-spherical door handles. For the modern family, kitchens include pull-out shelving solutions, smart home technology and laundry rooms that have relocated to a central floor.
Eagerly awaiting the spring snow melt and joyous emergence of tulips, many parents are feeling taxed by activities, homeschooling and isolation. We all may be ready for a vacation, but it is also a great time to evaluate the family’s goals. Ours included many ambitious health routines – but over the past weeks there has been a definite downward slide.
We’re living in mystical times, when news is deemed ‘fake’ and talking points go unverified. Thankfully, in Canada, there are many vital pieces of information that we can trust with certainty. Facts are facts. And in times like these, when we actually have 100% true, real information in front of us, it’s our duty to actually know how to understand and decipher that information.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Bayer. You will want to read it, though, as I have done a ton of research into what women should look for in heart attacks, and this is info that you’ll want to tuck away into your knowledge bank.
The French have it right. Inspired cuisine, detail-rich architecture, and an appreciation of ‘amour’ that outlasts the February Valentine’s fad. We are embarking on a month where matters of the heart reign supreme. But while many of us search for the perfect lingerie or chocolate truffles, somebody we know is suffering from heart disease. Keeping ourselves and our loved ones around for as long as possible is a far better Valentine’s gift than love-handle inducing candy.