Category Archives: Parenting Confessions

Weighing in on the Sick Lit Debate

The other day I was listening to CBC (as is my wont). The current was airing a segment on a new genre of YA lit dubbed “sick-lit.”  I listened with great interest; a new YA lit genre  I have not heard of? Why do tell! Imagine my disappointment (not to mention severe, itchy case ofContinue reading “Weighing in on the Sick Lit Debate”

The Political education of our children: some thoughts on Something Fierce

I recently read the 2012 Canada Reads selection, SomethingFierce: Memoirs of a Revolutionary Daughter by Carmen Aguirre and it got me thinking about my own politics. And consequently,  the job I am doing instilling a political consciousness in my own children. If you haven’t read it, you should. It is a riveting, eye-opening revelation ofContinue reading “The Political education of our children: some thoughts on Something Fierce”

Are we corrupting our children? The debate about raunchy lyrics (yes there is one)

When I was ten, my favourite tape (yes, I am that old. I was buying tapes well into late teens. I still regret the unfortunate advent of CDs- stupid technology) was the soundtrack of Grease. In fact, I remember going directly from the soundtrack of the movie Annie, full of funny and moving songs aboutContinue reading “Are we corrupting our children? The debate about raunchy lyrics (yes there is one)”

Parent Presence Required: Something has to give

I have come to a hard conclusion in these last couple of months. It has come after banging my head against the wall, lamenting my lack of time to devote to my writing. Predictably, this has only resulted in a large mental bruise (I wasn’t literally banging my head against the wall- I’m no masochist.)Continue reading “Parent Presence Required: Something has to give”

On Remembering my Child is not just a Mini Copy of Me

I phoned home before I left work. It was the shortened day of the week for the kids, and they would have been home for a while. I phoned to make sure all was alright, and whether I needed to pick anything up on my way home. My oldest daughter answered, saying everything was fine,Continue reading “On Remembering my Child is not just a Mini Copy of Me”

The tiger mom debate: to roar or not to roar?

 Recently, a Chinese American mother of two (not to mention fancy law professor and author of two other books on globalization and free market democracy) has caused major controversy with her new Memoir, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. In this book she details her strict philosophy with her daughters: no sleep overs, no playContinue reading “The tiger mom debate: to roar or not to roar?”

It’s a Girl’s World: Comments on an NFB film about bullying

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Principles Or Your Child: Choose one.

AAARGH. I think this has been the longest since I’ve written. Why? Because September went from 0 to 60 and October decided that wasn’t fast enough either. I am looking at a schedule where my daughters have activities 4 days a week after school and I seem to have at least two nights a weekContinue reading “Principles Or Your Child: Choose one.”

How to make your daughter cry

For those of you who get this in the mail, you can view this blog here. My daughters came home this week with a sheet of paper announcing that they had a “family homework”. This family homework was to look up information on biodiversity and think of two questions and then answer them (a flawedContinue reading “How to make your daughter cry”