My youngest daughter turns fifteen in 21 days, 22 hours, 16 minutes and 41 seconds. I know this because I have been counting down the days for a little over six months now. It is with keen anticipation that I look forward to saying, "Good riddance 14, don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out!" because if there's an "official" worst age for girls, 14 is it. The day the switch flipped, and reason left the building. I may not have reams of laboratory data to back up my claim …
Five Tips for Raising Teens in A Digital Age
The other night I called my mom to blow off steam. My teen girls had been pushing all my buttons, as teens do, and I needed a sounding board — someone who had been there, done that. My mother reminded me that there was nothing terribly unusual with their behaviour, they were simply doing what teens have done since time began. She encouraged me to be strong, it would all be okay, and then added as an afterthought, “I’m just glad I’m not raising kids in 2017.” Um, thanks Mom? After I calmed …
Smoking in Movies Has a Bigger Impact on Your Kids Than You May Think
I was almost ten the year Grease came out in theatres (go ahead do the math), and I fell hard for that movie, in particular the lead character of Sandy played by Olivia Newton-John. I begged my mother to buy me the soundtrack and played it ad nauseum in our basement, practicing Sandy's every move on our shag carpet. This iconic scene though was my favourite to act out. via GIPHY I mean c'mon! She's gorgeous, the guys are falling all over her and when she takes a drag of that cigarette …
Lessons for Life and Catholic Education in Ontario; Why We’re Thankful for Our Kids’ Teachers
As a child, I grew up across the street from two schools that were separated only by a public pool; one Catholic and one public. As Catholics (but far from practicing), the decision as to what school I would attend was easy for my parents. And so it was, that for eight years I would wait until the morning’s last bell to race out the door and get to school. I always looked fondly back on my time at St. Francis. In my head, I felt certain that part of what I loved about attending it was the …
Why My Daughter is Acing Compassionate Math and Fair Science
This school year has been challenging for my twelve year old daughter. A chronic back injury, has meant she has missed more than 32 days of school since September. We never know when she will be flat on her back for sometimes up to a week, or what will cause her back to spasm. As I write this, she put her back out two days ago, simply walking down the hall at school. Needless, to say, I am stressed to the max about her health, and the impact this is going to have on her long term. The …
