I’ve always loved the simplicity of summer. For a few blissful months, we get to trade our thick sweaters and bulky boots for streamlined tank tops and slip-on sandals. Our days get a little more relaxed and a lot more sunny. My […]
Sonia Mendes
FUN in the SUN
With the hot weather upon us (finally!) and summer vacation just around the corner, it’s high time to get the kids outside and active. But how do you lure them away from gaming in airconditioned comfort? With the season’s coolest outdoor toys, of course! These […]
Celebrating the Solstice
From competitive pow wow and hoop dancing to bubble soccer and a colour run, the Ottawa Summer Solstice Aboriginal Festival will offer up a jampacked, three-day schedule from June 19-21. “We try to do new and unique activities every year and we’ve certainly added […]
Indoor gardening fun with kids
After one of the coldest winters in Ottawa history, I find myself hungering for the sensory-rich experiences of summer. In my mind’s eye, I can hear the crunch of a green bean fresh from the garden, taste the warm juices of a sun-kissed tomato and […]
Giving new parents the wings to fly
The Monarch Centre for Maternal and Newborn Health, which opened in Ottawa last year, aims to offer new moms crucial post-hospital support, writes Sonia Mendes. About six weeks ago, Kelli White’s baby girl was born a month early. She weighed only four pounds and […]
5 ways technology is impacting education
Today’s kids are growing up with a vast array of technologies at their fingertips – particularly those at schools with forward-thinking, tech-savvy philosophies. Parenting Times made a recent visit to St. Andrew Catholic School in Ottawa to chat with educators […]
Let it snow
Sonia Mendes offers up some fabulous indoor activity ideas to keep your family warm and cosy with plenty of fun during the frosty winter days ahead. Oh, the weather outside is frightful…but these toys are so delightful! It’s inevitable – […]
‘We have to change the way we’re looking at these beautiful, autistic children’
Mother and author Kristine Barnett, whose teenaged son Jacob was diagnosed with severe autism and now considered one of the world’s most promising physicists, is fighting to change perceptions and misconceptions about children on the autism spectrum. She spoke with Sonia […]
Back-packin’ it up in style
When it’s time for back-to-school shopping, don’t forget to add a stylish backpack to your list! Whether you have a preschooler toting crayons and finger foods or an elementary-school scholar, Ottawa retailers have the perfect bag to carry it all […]
‘It’s an incredible experience for them’
The Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada is celebrating 30 years of granting wishes – and unforgettable moments of pure joy – to children across the country with life-threatening illnesses and life-limiting conditions Four years ago, a little boy from Ottawa […]