Tag: Editorial

Things to Consider When Adopting a Family Pooch

momstownFamily Life, ParentingNo comments, , ,

March 23rd marks National Puppy Day. As you probably know, there are millions of unwanted puppies that sit alone in the shelter each and every day, just waiting, and waiting some more, to be adopted into a forever home – and to have a forever family.

Is that forever family your family? Are you considering a new and adopted doggie for your home? If so, you are among the four in ten (37%) Canadians who have adopted from an animal shelter in the past.

It is truly admirable that your family wants to make a difference in the lives of orphaned pets, as there are millions of homeless animals in Canada longing for a forever home. However, adopting a pet is a big decision to make, and I encourage you to consider a few things when adopting a puppy for your family.

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Focusing Too Much on Your Child’s Weight Can Be Harmful

momstownBaby, Family Life, Parenting, Preschooler, School Life, ToddlersNo comments, , , , , ,

Everywhere we turn, there are commercials, poster ads, and social media images which shame us, as parents, into believing that we are solely to blame for the fact that our child is overweight. It can even start as early as birth, when you have that first ‘well-baby check-up’, only to be advised that you are feeding your baby too much (on demand, imagine that!) and that he or she is above the average weight percentile. And, when our child gets older, we are constantly comparing him to his thin peers, and wondering where we went wrong, since he does not seem ‘a-typical’. In a sense, we are being brain- washed by the societal demands placed upon us as parents. We are conned into thinking that just because our child does not fit the ‘norm’, he is going to be ostracized because of it, and we tend to develop extremist attitudes that force us to do anything in our power to prevent the bullying that he will, no doubt endure, because of his ‘abnormal’ bodily appearance. Studies show, however, that focusing too much on our child’s weight can be harmful to their health – both physically and emotionally.

Lana Kelly
Editor, momstown Guelph

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Marriage: Is Yours Happy or Pleasurable?

momstownFamily LifeNo comments, ,

Is it just me, or every time you turn a corner do you hear of a married couple, famous or not, announcing that they have decided to go their separate ways? It seems that the number one reason is that one, or both of the people involved are saying, “I am just not happy anymore.” Reasons for the rise in the divorce rate, are not entirely clear, but, it would seem that the factors suggest that an increased divorce rate may be an indication that expectations about the quality of marriage have risen, and that many people prefer a divorce to an unhappy marriage. (statistical reference below) There’s that word again with ‘un’ at the beginning. Let’s suggest that we take a closer look at the word ‘happiness’, and see why we, as married couples of today’s society, find it difficult to find pleasure and contentment in our marriages.

Lana Kelly
Editor, momstown Guelph

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Am I Trying to Buy My Child’s Love?

momstownFamily Life, Parenting, PreschoolerNo comments, , , ,

If you’re a parent, you have been there. The little, scratchy fingers that tug at your coat, the whining, the crying, and sometimes, the all-out temper tantrum while you try to calm your child, and gently explain that he or she cannot have this toy that they sooooooooooo desperately desire. You feel like hiding behind the toy shelves, and pretending that your child (or is it your child?) belongs to someone else. You wonder if you (or other family members who lavishly spoil your child) have done something wrong. How did your child come to expect or feel he deserves these expensive items? How did you manage to spoil him to this extent, and not notice that you were turning him into an aggressive monster who punched and kicked and screamed when he didn’t get something he wanted? How did this happen?

Lana Kelly,
Editor, momstown Guelph

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Preventing Prejudice in our Children

momstownFamily Life, Parenting, Preschooler, School Life, ToddlersNo comments, , , ,

We live in a highly diverse population of people, and, as much as we would like to ignore the fact that biases still exist in our society, we can’t. As parents, we have a necessary and challenging role to play in our children’s lives, as a teacher who models appropriate strategies when faced with situations of discrimination or prejudice. As an Early Childhood Educator, I have been taught the anti-bias approach for the education of young children. You see, although multicultural education has been a focus in our classrooms for over a decade, the idea of diversity (including all prejudices, such as issues of racism and sexism, ageism, et cetera) is becoming more complex, and needs to be taught to young children as a basis for an anti-bias value system. Did you know that preventing prejudice in your young child, and in our future generation actually begins with you? No pressure there, right? Wrong! You can have a hand in creating the possibility of a gradually emerging anti-bias society – a society in which all people, regardless of race, culture, ability, gender, are accepted, valued, respected, and included. This Black History Month, I encourage you to accept the challenge of preventing prejudice in your own children, and paving the way to an inclusive society.

Lana Kelly
Editor, momstown Belleville

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Keeping Intimacy Alive During Pregnancy

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February can often be called the month of LOVE. Really, though, for all married couples, each month should be full of love and love-making initiatives. After all, isn’t that what a healthy marriage should consist of? Sure it is! First comes love, then came marriage, and, I think we all know what came next. Marriages include those beautiful times of love, intimacy, and then, sometimes and somewhere along the line, pregnancy happens. If marriage begins with love, followed by a sexual relationship (which is a wonderful way of showing your love for one another!), why should pregnancy be sans intimacy for many married couples? According to some marriage counsellors, and experts, one of the core challenges many expecting couples face is how to stay intimate during nine months of physical and emotional changes you may have, as your baby prepares for arrival.

Lana Kelly
Editor, momstown Belleville

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Round Up of Indoor Play Spaces and Activities for Kids in the Guelph Region

momstownFamily Life, Parenting, PreschoolerNo comments, , , , , , ,

Well, it’s that time of year again. You know, the one Canadian season that seems to stretch on forever, that can last from October to (sometimes even) May.

Don’t despair! We’ve gathered some indoor play space information (and other indoor outings) that are perfect for a too cold and too wet day with the kids. They are also sure to wear them out both physically and mentally!!!

Lana Kelly
Editor, momstown Guelph

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Best Mittens for Your Little Kittens (and Hats for Your Little Cats!)

momstownBaby, Preschooler, ToddlersNo comments, , , , , ,

Gloves, mittens, and hats are essential kids apparel during the winter season. However, it is not always easy selecting the best mittens for your little kittens, gloves for your doves, or hats for your little cats. Here at momstown, Guelph, we strive to provide you with the best resources and to expand your knowledge of some of the key factors associated with selecting these items for your babies, toddlers and preschoolers. The first question that arises is whether you should select gloves or mittens to protect your kid’s hands. Or, what hat works best for your young child? Or, how do I keep mittens and hats on my baby or toddler? Each design comes with advantages and disadvantages, but in the proper setting each will provide warmth for little hands and heads! The following are the best finds (in this area) for winter apparel/ accessories which can be both economical and practical!

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Why Does My Child Not Like Reading? Strategies for Resistant Readers

momstownParenting, Preschooler, School Life1 comment, , , ,

As parents, we are well aware of the benefits of reading. We remember our love for reading, and, it only makes sense that we want our children to share a love of books too. While a good many children do become excited and engaged in reading (especially in the primary grades), some are resistant, and, not to mention, truly disinterested. While a child may not show a natural interest in reading, this does not mean that he cannot become a skilled and even enthusiastic reader. There are a number of things that parents and teachers can do to help engage reluctant readers.

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Preparing for a Winter Newborn Baby

momstownBaby, Parenting, Pregnancy2 comments, , , ,

It was the coldest night of the year – a record breaker, as the news reporter said. My contractions were getting unbearable (although I have low pain tolerance, so, probably pretty mild). We got into the van, in a mutual decision to head to the hospital. To our dismay, it wouldn’t start! I’m kidding. That would have made for a more interesting story, though! Very interesting, indeed. You see, I don’t see my husband as one who could solely deliver a baby (although he would say he could, as he has delivered many a farm animal in the past).
So, as it would happen, the van did indeed start. We live in a rural community, and the drive should have taken us about forty-five minutes. My husband took about fifty minutes to get there, since he was calmly admiring a pack of wolves under the midnight moonlight. How dare he! As the wolves were standing in the snow-covered fields, I wondered if they were really ice-covered fields on this particular, frosty night. Although, I didn’t think so, since if it was that cold, it would have numbed my body from the waist down, and that just wasn’t happening.
Incidentally, we arrived safely at the hospital, and six hours later (it seemed much longer), we (or, I, rather) delivered an eight pound, fourteen ounce, beautiful, baby girl.
Overnight, the temperature dropped to an all-time low. Although, one would not recognize the coldness outside of a hospital, considering the geriatric, balmy, warmth inside the doors of the health centre environment.
So, yes, we brought our newborn home in the frost-bitten cold of that brisk January day. In fact, if you googled January 17th, 2003, the headline would probably read: “Well, folks, it is the coldest day in history. As such, we warn infants and seniors to remain inside where it is warm for health and safety reasons.” We brought our newborn home anyways. But, the big question on everyone’s mind, is: “Were we prepared?” The answer would most definitely be: “Sort of.”
If we only had of known then, what we know now. So, if you are one of those parents who plan to bring a newborn baby home from the hospital in those cold winter temperatures, here are a couple of tips, as well as a list of what I would advise you to pack in your overnight bag.

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