Parenting Times did not receive any financial compensation for this piece. We all love the twinkling lights, the merry music and most of all, the gathering of friends and family this time of year. While we are more […]
Christmas
Building memories
Our family shares an activity that’s fast become a new holiday tradition – and a source of continued entertainment When I was growing up in the 90s, Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” was my favourite movie. This was […]
Treat yo’shelf
This holiday season, deck the family library with these new Canadian reads Whether you’re seeking a stocking stuffer with substance or a new read to get your kids through the next snowbound day, our list of children’s books has […]
From the editor
I enjoyed winters in Ottawa long before I became a resident. My dad and my uncle Andy spent their early adult years here, attending the University of Ottawa and Carleton University respectively. My parents were married here in 1977. After […]
Gimme a break
March Break holds special charms for Chris Hunt. Here’s why it ranks over Christmas and New Year’s When I was a boy, I didn’t appreciate March Break for what it really was. Being your typical self-absorbed adolescent, I was grateful […]
The gift of creativity
During the holiday season, parents and caregivers — and anyone with children in their lives — will be looking for gift-giving ideas. Although gifting has long been trending towards the experience-based, many kids and traditionalists (hello, Grandpa and Grandma) alike […]
It’s the little things
It doesn’t take much to teach kids how to give back My son Riley was kneeling in a sea of shredded Christmas paper and discarded ribbons. In front of him, a small mountain of toys loomed. Nestled around him was […]
Sharing is caring
The last page of a Sesame Street book shows Cookie Monster and Elmo splitting a snack and telling us, “Sharing is caring.” It has become a line often repeated in our home as we teach our three-year-old son, […]
Home for the holidays
‘Close to home’ takes on a new meaning during the pandemic, Kita Szpak writes No question about it, the phrase “home for the holidays” has a feel-good vibe: the coming together of family and friends all wrapped up in […]
The sweetest tree
This winter, create your own family holiday tradition, says columnist Kita Szpak I write this with joy and amusement. I only learned this year that my boys – I should call them men now but being a mom, they’ll always […]