Question of the Month: Money Sense

  My daughter turns thirteen this week and for me, it's pretty scary to think I'm the mom of a teenager. She's generally a pretty good kid and has a good head on her shoulders but it seems that with a growing sense of self, my daughter also has a growing sense of the "gimmies."

At the beginning of the school year, I decided that we would start an allowance. Instead of a weekly allowance, however, we went for a lump sum at the beginning of each month. That way, I figured, she'd be able to budget her money throughout the month and start to learn a sense of money management. It's been working pretty well so far and when we're out, and those gimmies strike, I get to tell her that she can absolutely buy that brand new X, Y, or Z. It is, after all, her money (of course that does, at times, stop the gimmies in their tracks).

The question for this month is at what age did you (or will you) start to give your child an allowance and how much do you feel is appropriate for each age? Inquiring minds want to know.

Question of the Month: Parenting in a Digital Age

Trying to raise kids in this digital age can be very nerve-racking. We are living in a time where things change so fast that we barely have time to grasp one innovation before another one comes along and renders it obsolete.

As a mom, I do believe that my kids need some exposure to the online world. I really think that there is a huge benefit in learning how to incorporate the many online tools into their lives and schoolwork while they’re still young. I hope that with my guidance, they will learn healthy habits about sharing, privacy and online safety.

As a parent, what do you struggle with when trying to raise responsible children in this age of connectedness, sharing and online dangers?

Question of the month: Back to school

Many kids are heading back to school today - or starting for the first time!  It's an exciting, nerve-racking and stressful time for many.

My biggest struggle with back to school is packing healthy lunches with limited time on my hands and a picky eater. I'm trying to involve Kiernan in the process more now that he's in grade one but also rely on buying hot (and healthy) lunches from the school.

What are your struggles with back to school and what are your best tips for making things run smoothly?

Question of the Month: Preventing Bad Habits - Pop

by Karen

Lara and I were talking about pop today and she told me that she doesn't drink it (except in certain rare circumstances) and she proceeded to explain why:

At three years old, Lara wanted to try her mother's root beer when they were at A&W. Her mother let her, but shook it up first. The result was root beer going up Lara's nose and to this day, she cannot drink root beer and rarely touches pop.

Her mother has admitted she shook it on purpose. (The woman is clearly brilliant. I'm not sure I would have thought of doing that!)

Lara went on to tell me about her friend who was making lemonade one day when her daughter insisted on having some. She hadn't yet put in the sugar, but there was no convincing her little one. So, she poured her a glass. (My jaw is locking up as I write this. Seriously, I'm not even kidding.) Her DD took a big sip and was horrified by the taste. So, her mom told her it was pop.

Devious? Perhaps, but it was also a funny stroke of genius.

So, let's swap stories today. Have you ever taken cunning steps to make certain food or drink unpalatable for your child(ren)? Did it work?

Question of the month: Potty Training

Every parent knows the day will come when their child is ready to start potty training. Some start very young, before their first birthday. Others start a bit older. Every age presents unique challenges, but parents who have been there always have clever little tips and tricks they used to help make the process go more smoothly. One thing we've employed with my son is giving him gummy vitamins as a treat. He loves them and looks at them as a treat and they're good for him! I tried to give him chocolate and he didn't want them. (We're debating whether there was a switch in the hospital - how IS that possible!? ;)) We also got him a portable seat that fits in his bag for outings, though I don't think he's comfortable going anywhere but home.

Given that little fact we didn't know in advance, we've had to accommodate for possible accidents and found a waterproof liner for his car seat so that we don't have to take out the entire seat in the event that we don't make it home in time. A bonus benefit? It'll catch crumbs too! Well, some of them anyway.

Tell us your best, brightest and most clever potty training tips! We know they won't all work for every child, but for anyone who's struggling you might just suggest the magic formula for success! Also, don't hesitate to offer up a "I wish I had known better than to..." tip as well. :)