Nurture

In June 2018, Carrie Seaton* was paying close to $2,500 a month in child care for her two kids. She and her husband faced a one-and-a-half-hour commute to and from work each day from Mission, BC, to Vancouver, and both had jobs at which late-night meetings were often scheduled at the last minute. They were

It’s very hard to be in the same house with my husband, but I just keep looking at my kids. I make $150,000 a year, but my husband has me on a monthly allowance: $400 a month to spend on myself. If, say, I go $60 over, I start the next month $60 in the

Michelle McIvor can’t remember a time when she wasn’t playmates or friends with her brother. Growing up in Edmonton, the siblings, who are three years apart, spent weekends in their backyard jungle gym, played tag in the local park and made up songs together while walking to school. “We were always really close,” says McIvor,

“His life will be so different from mine, but I can’t help but worry. Until every country in the world allows gay marriage and gives everyone equal rights, I will always be scared.” Growing up, most of my friends were girls, and this is still true today. My best friend, Debbie, is a girl I

“I know that if anyone were to challenge any of my coupled queer friends’ abilities to parent, I’d be the first to defend them. So why won’t I do the same for myself?” Photo: Courtesy of Tara-Michelle Ziniuk When I decided to become a single-mom-by-choice more than five years ago, I thought long and hard

It’s not all bad! Eight Canadian children share some of the upsides to cocooning, from learning new skills to cute puppy cuddles. While parents may be entirely over being stuck at home, for some kids, it’s been a catalyst to gain a fresh perspective on life and family. Here, eight Canadian children share some of

Finding and vetting the right babysitter at any time is tough—and doing so during the COVID-19 pandemic makes it that much tougher. Here’s some help. It’s been a long, difficult few months of taking care of the kids without any help whatsoever, but you’ve finally decided on hiring a babysitter during coronavirus. Support is on

Being deliberate in the toys and games you choose for your kids to play with at an early age will have long term payoff. We know that play is an important part of your kid’s development. To make sure they’re getting the most out of their toys, games and books, we’ve rounded up a selection

It’s a bit out of the norm, but I think a lot of couples secretly yearn for our arrangement. “What are you going to tell Ben about this when he grows up?” my friend asks, horrified by our situation and the potential psychological damage it might inflict on our two-year-old son. That this is just

On any given day, I make 17 snacks, change 12 diapers, listen to 957 complaints, constantly remind everyone to wash their hands, and burst into tears at least three times.  Yes, this is life with young kids. It’s what I signed up for and no, it’s not glamorous. Being a mom doesn’t come with “me”

Didn’t get a chance to say thank you to your kid’s teacher? It’s not too late. Didn’t get a chance to thank your kid’s teacher this year? With schools across the country shutting down until September (at least), many parents and kids are regretting not getting in their goodbyes and thank yous back in March.

Lindsay Scott is a Toronto-based employment lawyer and a partner at Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein LLP. She also volunteers at the free employment law hotline run by Pro Bono Ontario, and is the mother of a one-year-old. She spoke with Chatelaine about the effects of COVID-19 on Canadian businesses and employees. So, most of the calls that

Not hearing Ojibway as a kid was something I didn’t give much thought to—probably because I didn’t know any different. No one spoke the language in my home. My mother, a former student of several residential schools, was ashamed of being Indigenous. In fact, she would sometimes tell people she was French. I grew up

How can I offer a child a love that I’ve never received? Friends assure me becoming a mom is an instinct, but that feels too simple. Growing up, Mother’s Day was an annual reminder my classmates’ families had a member that my family didn’t. In grade two, a substitute teacher instructed our class to make

As a doctor, having my family isolate away from me felt like the responsible thing to do—but I never expected it to be this hard. On March 20th, uncertain about what my work demands as a doctor in Toronto might be, we made the family decision to live apart. My husband Ian, and my 5-

The kids are acting out and apparently, so am I. Photo: iStockPhoto I could hear my kids before I saw them, their angry footsteps pounding up the stairs in a frantic race to my home office. My seven-year-old son was yelling before he even got through the door, with his nine-year-old sister close behind—and she

About three times a day at our house, all three kids are crying, whining, or searching for something they can’t find. Dear stay-at-home moms, After 31 days sheltering-in-place with my three sons (ages five, three and one), I’ve never had more respect for you than I have at this moment. While I always knew you

If you’ve spent any time on social media over the last few weeks (is there anyone who hasn’t?!), you’ve likely detected the increasing spread of a bizarre new contagion. Amid news feeds stuffed with homeschooling tips and toilet paper-hoarding memes, there are pictures of puppies. So many ridiculously cute new puppies.  Timber, our brand new

Codi Lynn of Creative Wife and Joyful Worker wants families to know that getting a dog isn’t exactly as easy as it looks in the movies. Here are five things to think about before deciding if it’s the right fit for your family. Getting a puppy for Christmas isn’t just something you see in your

Netflix is making it easier for parents to monitor their child’s content consumption—a way to avoid mature questions and sassy behaviour. If you’re letting your kids watch a bit more Netflix than usual now that we’re all stuck at home, you’ve likely thought about monitoring their activity a little more closely. Netflix knows parents worry