At what age can you give a child a key to your house?

 Parents today must often balance responsibilities such as working and figuring out how to care for their child after school. Once your child hits their tweens, you might be wondering if it is time for them to finally stay home alone. Getting a key to the house is a rite

J & J’s Gibberish: ADHD — It IS a Real Thing — Part 1

 One mother's weekly journey in raising her special needs children.  It was with great fascination that I have been learning about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).  I have to be honest here and say that I had been extremely cynical about the whole ADHD thing.  For starters, and I mean

It’s Always Sing Song Party Time With Derek McKinley

 As a child Derek McKinley remembers Raffi, lots of Raffi. Whereas other youngsters may have been content bopping to the music, it was the lyrics that he latched onto. He still recalls the silly stories and songs that once sent his child-self spinning in circles while clutching a record sleeve

Time to acknowledge the other baby scoop

 By Valerie Andrews and Art Eggleton The recent announcement by the federal government offering a $800M settlement for “Sixties Scoop” survivors, those Indigenous children removed from their reserves and families and placed into non-Indigenous homes, is a step in the right direction to promote acknowledgement and healing for those impacted.

An Exciting Sneak Peek at the New Science and Technology Museum

 Photos by Emily Cordonier The official opening of the new Canada Science and Technology Museum is less than a month away. It is a fabulous structure that has been three years in the making, ever since a leaky roof and mold forced the museum to close back in September 2014.

BEST OF OTTAWA: Top Spots for Kids

 With 20-years writing about Ottawa life we think we have a pretty good idea of the best of what this city has to offer. In this new weekly summer series we’ll share it with you. From our top picks of hotels, live music venues, local brews, bands and more, check,

Childcare Done Differently Now in Westboro

 All photos by Ali Matthews. When it comes to childcare, no two families are alike. Every family has different needs and expectations for their care, not to mention the tinges of parental guilt no matter where or whom you leave your child with. Victoria Sopik, Founder & CEO of Kids

Interview: Why do Canada’s Children Lag so Far Behind?

 In a recent UNICEF report, Canada ranked in the bottom half of the world’s richest countries in overall child well-being and child equality. Experts say that a lack of access to healthcare and inadequate supports for parents are reasons why Canada lags behind. In the video below, Dr. Denis Daneman and

SOS Children’s Villages’ Response to the Refugee Crisis

 Submitted by Boyd McBride, President and CEO, SOS Children’s Villages Canada. Today, we mark World Refugee Day. United, we stand to support refugees – those who must flee their home because of violence, war and natural disasters. There are over 60 million refugees in the world, over half of them

The Wellness Mom Workout – Q&A with Fitness Chameleon Kate Laird

 Photos courtesy of Kate Laird.  This isn’t your average fitness class. When you first walk in, you might be a bit taken aback by all the kids running around as the super-powered moms partake in CrossFit-like activity. Medicine balls, rowing machines and weights are just a few of the tools

Turkish Canadian Community Raises Money for CHEO

 On Saturday April 23, distinguished guests gathered to celebrate Turkish National Sovereignty and International Children’s Day at a fundraising gala organized by the Turkish Cultural Canadian Association (TCCA), the proceeds of which will be donated to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). This yearly event, organized by the Turkish

Why it’s time for a National Autism Strategy

 Over a year ago, I was invited to celebrate World Autism Awareness Day on Parliament Hill.  It was attended by a dozen or more Senators from both major parties, political staffers and invited guests mostly from autism non-profit organizations.  I expected a predictable ‘feel good’ event about how far we’ve

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year . . . Sometimes

 Christmas, for those who celebrate the holiday, is supposed to be a happy, peaceful time to spend with friends and family, both immediate and extended. But for many, many families, it can be one of the most stressful and acrimonious times of the year. When you have children and are

Putting children’s health and resiliency on the national agenda

 By Chris Harper Last year, at a camp in southern New Brunswick, I met Evan. Before turning eight, he had bounced from foster home to foster home. He was sent to camp without a bathing suit or sufficient lunch. Regardless, Evan smiled constantly, excelled in school and had a striking sense of compassion.

Why the Federal Government Needs to Keep its Promise to End Income-Splitting

 Children’s Health More About Good Social Policy than Medicine Alone. More of Canada’s children are living in poverty than ever before. A new report reveals that child poverty rates in Canada remain unconscionably high. Almost one-third of children in Toronto live in low-income households. Population measures of child health in Canada are also troubling,

We Need a Radical New Approach for Kids in Care

 Families seeking support services should not have to worry their children will be taken away from them Six advocates for First Nations children have gone on a symbolic hunger strike at the Manitoba Legislature to try to raise awareness across the country about Manitoba’s broken child welfare system. Why? Well, here’s one

Some of the Most Complex Needs of My Patients Stem from Poverty and not Disease Alone

 Why Canadian children need a champion. A young girl is referred to a pediatrician's office for inability to pay attention in the classroom. The child’s teacher is concerned she has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and possibly, a learning disability. I am a second year medical student working in the

Should Eye Exams be Mandatory for School-Age Kids?

 Most Canadian children never have their eyes examined, yet one in six may have a vision problem. Currently only 14 per cent of Canadian children under the age of six receive professional eye care. Since the measles outbreak in North America a few months ago, more school districts and provinces

Monkeys and Crocodiles Play Baseball: an interview with Angel Krishna

 Illustration by Angel Alvarez. In the game of baseball, it’s easy to see when there’s a lack of communication on the field. Whether it’s a wrong pitch, jumbled infield pass or a missed fly ball by two outfielders, communication can make or break the game. Both on and off the

Three Things Everyone Should Know About Autism in Canada

 Canadian governments have done little to address the crisis faced by autism families across the country. This sentiment was true in 2007 when it was put forward in the cross-party Senate report on the state of funding for the treatment of autism in Canada, aptly titled, Pay Now or Pay

What I Learned as a Medical Student Working with Low-Income Families in Toronto

 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. As a medical student taking part in a Social Paediatrics course at The Hospital for Sick Children, I was recently immersed in the lives and healthcare needs of low-income families in Toronto. This experience reshaped the lens through which I now view healthcare and helped

Logan Guleff Wants to Get Kids Cooking!

 All images courtesy of Uncle Ben's and CNW group. Now carrying the prestigious title of MasterChef Junior, 13-year-old Logan Guleff has humble culinary roots. His introduction to the kitchen came at age two, when Guleff started spooning grounds into his mother’s coffee maker each morning. “I would take two scoops

A MARVELous Must-See Performance!

 All photos courtesy of Feld Entertainment Grab your cape, mask, helmet or hammer and fly on over to the Canadian Tire Centre! Marvel Universe LIVE! is coming to the Capital for six thrilling performances at the CTC from July 31 to August 2. This spectacular and technologically advanced touring production brings

Family Ties

 A review of Sugar in the Blood: A Family’s Story of Slavery and Empire by Andrea Stuart Family trees are all the rage. Part of their appeal is surely the element of surprise. The deeper one digs, the more likely a discovery that the tree’s roots twist and shoot in

Atlantis is a Warm Weather Water Adventure

 It’s hard not to be taken by the beauty of the beaches on Paradise Island in the Bahamas. A natural reef acts as a buffer, calming the waves that gently crash onto its shores and the sun is said to shine 300 days a year. Hollywood was an early fan of