Our Kids Blog

Friends don’t let friends DATE drunk.

Travis Allison — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:15:50 +0000

The problem with designated drivers is that they are often participating in the same activity along with the friends they have been enlisted to protect. For instance, say I go with a group of friends to a St. Patty’s Day party where the overwhelming theme is alcohol. If I am the designated driver, how will [...] Related posts:

Making Connections

The Benefits of After-School Activities

Guest Author — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:42:54 +0000

Kids today face a growing problem that was virtually unheard of only a couple of generations ago. They come home from school every day to an empty house. Whether it’s because both parents have to work to support the family or due to the fact that they come from a broken home, the result is [...] Related posts:

Dad Lessons

Travis Allison — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:36:33 +0000

I became a step-father to teenagers when I was 30 years old. Well, technically, Spencer was only 11 but Andrew was 15 so the median age was teenagers. It has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Because Beth and I had worked together at our Muskoka summer camp for so long, [...] No related posts.

Let’s raise kids to be entrepreneurs

Jim Huinink — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:09:21 +0000

Recently at TEDxEdmonton, Cameron Herold discussed what he considers a fundamental flaw in contemporary education, the lack of attention toward teaching young entrepreneurs. Herold argues that many kids who are bored in school might in fact be budding entrepreneurs. In his talk, he implicitly criticizes education that is too focused on cultivating academics over children’s [...] Related posts:

Trade schools unfairly dismissed by many

Jim Huinink — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 19:56:44 +0000

When parents discuss career choices with kids, they often say something along the lines of “be whatever you want to be.” However, by this, most parents mean, go into technology, medicine, law or something else that implies a university education. Far too few parents and educators encourage children to think of careers in the skilled [...] Related posts:

Sending kids to camp… by portaging!

Travis Allison — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 22:17:08 +0000

Charity Raises Money to Send Kids to Summer Camp Although the base of my feet felt bruised, my thumbs were stiff and I couldn’t stand up straight, it was well worth it – we raised over $30,000 to help send 30 underprivileged kids to camp this summer. On June 5, I was one of 48 [...] Related posts:

Vintage vs. Outer Space

Katie Weber — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:37:03 +0000

Week two of Design Camp at the Design Exchange summer camp in Toronto was an out-of-this-world success! Our Vintage Couture camp was visited by Dawna Pym from the Royal Ontario Musuem who brought in pieces from her personal collection for the campers to examine. We also visited Divine Decadence and spoke with owner Carmelita Blondet [...] Related posts:

The secret to picking a great camp for your kids

Travis Allison — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:24:08 +0000

Do you want to know how to pick the best summer camp for your kids? Watch how the staff treat each other. You can tell a lot about the atmosphere and general attitude of a children’s summer camp by taking a tour and observing a few things. Are you greeted warmly and immediately? Do the [...] Related posts:

Healthy Schools, Happy Kids

Guest Author — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:23:32 +0000

Parents have been railing against nutritional deficits in school lunches and inadequate gym programs for awhile, but with nutritional guidelines being met and a moratorium on spending halting any progress, it was beginning to look like an unhealthy situation for our nation’s kids was never going to change. Unfortunately, parents with limited finances often count [...] No related posts.

Campground Cooking

Guest Author — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 00:09:40 +0000

Camping trips are as much about eating over an open fire as they are experiencing the great outdoors—and the equipment (or lack thereof) is all part of the fun! It’s amazing what kids will eat if they have cooked it themselves, and believe it or not, the only tools you really need are a bowl, [...] Related posts:

What Moms Really Want on Mother’s Day