As someone who has been working with families for more than 20 years in a professional capacity, I am often approached by different companies and other specialists and professionals about products I recommend, or even simply to review child and/or sleep related products.   This morning I got an email from Kayla at reviews.com who […]

As September looms upon us (sorry to bring that up), it is time to begin thinking about getting children ready to go to, or go back to, school. For some that means they will be falling back into fairly regular routines, while for others it means an entirely new and exciting experience! The best thing […]

Once children are off to preschool, or school, many parents tend to leave it to the teacher to work on pre-reading skills, and trust that their young child is learning what they need to in school.   The truth is, that learning is a triad of student, family, and school. All three must be invested […]

Part Two of a Two Part Series   Getting adequate sleep with a newborn in the house (and helping the baby sleep) is a challenge for any parent, but if you are the mother or father of more than one baby, this can be especially difficult to achieve. Additionally, I tip my hat to you! […]

Whether it’s only been a few months, or it has been a couple of years, going back to work after being at home with your little one is never easy. This is a reality that almost all families deal with at some point, unless one of the parents is able to be the daytime caregiver […]

Yes, it’s that time of year again. Time ‘springs forward’ by one hour Sunday, March 13th. Like a good number of parents of young children (especially those with wee ones we’ve worked so hard to get into a routine and schedule), I would prefer to see annual time changes abolished, but since I can think […]

This is a very common time of year for people to take family holidays.   If you are planning a family trip or getaway with a baby or toddler, it really is important to consider how travel plans are going to affect your child’s sleep routine. This is even more important if you have recently […]

By Regan Forsyth of Eat Play Sleep Family Wellness   While mobile phones are a really convenient way to keep close touch with your pre-teens and teens, there is a lot more to be taken into consideration when deciding when is the right time to sign your son or daughter up. Cell phones are very […]

After putting my youngest, still a baby, to bed last night, I read an article about a baby who died after going into heart failure. The baby (6 weeks old) was thought to have been sleeping in her parents’ bed and accidentally suffocated. Suffocation due to avoidable circumstances and factors, does not fall under the […]

It’s a well-known fact that it’s important in drug and alcohol use prevention in children, to openly and honestly discuss it early on. It’s also important to discuss it frequently and keep connected to your child and teen and learn about their social lives when out of the house. Even when parents do their best […]

Being in this line of work for almost ten years, there are certain sleep related products that have proven to be very helpful to families, time and time again. Here are a few of our favourites!   1. The Halo Bassinest   http://www.halobassinest.com/ Brought to you by the makers of swaddles and sleep sacks for best […]

Yes, it’s that time of year again. Time ‘springs forward’ by one hour on Sunday, March 8th. Like a good number of parents of young children (especially those with wee ones we’ve worked so hard to get into a routine and schedule), I would prefer to see annual time changes abolished, but since I can […]

Every family has different fundamental beliefs, rules, routines, and ways of handling conflict, but here are a few time-tested and proven techniques that can work for everyone! Make a list of family rules. Your children can help too! Get their input on what they find is reasonable and important in your home, and even some […]

The Picky Eater. It happens to the best of us. The biggest mealtime power struggle, is often about what our children will or will not eat. This can be the toughest area to make changes to, because it can require a completely new mindset for some parents. A new perspective for everyone, in fact. There […]

It can be difficult to consistently have your entire family sit down together to eat, but for some families, it’s even tougher to get the children to actually eat. If that’s your family, help is here!   I recently wrote about a few simple ways avoid warfare and food battles with your children, at the […]

It’s supper time, and it’s a drag. This is a reality that almost all families deal with at some point. Even the most varied and daring of eaters, can suddenly refuse everything. The opposite can happen too though, so here are some great tips with regard to getting everyone back on track, and enjoying meals […]

Every year, in January and February there seems to be an influx of parents trying not to pull their hair out because sleep routines and habits in their homes went out the window over the holidays. Here are a few ways to prevent yours from being one of those families! Make sure going into the […]

Yes, it’s THAT time of year again. Oh joy! For children who are quite structured with going to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning, the time change can cause a ‘sleep debt’ for a little while which is why it is most noticeable in babies […]

Most parents are ecstatic to learn that their infant enjoys being in their crib. The sounds of cooing and playing at bedtime or when they wake, are a sign of good things! Well…believe it or not, this can also be a not-so-good thing, for a couple of reasons. (In addition to the dangers of positional […]

If you have kids, chances are good that you’ll need a fail-proof sugar cookie recipe for the gazillions of times you’ll be destroying your kitchen, letting little hands decorate them. These are the easiest and tastiest ever! 3/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp baking powder 3 C AP flour (more for rolling) 1 & 1/4 C […]

“How Much Sleep is Optimal?” For new (and repeat!) parents or clients, this is a very common question! There is no firm answer; the younger the child, the more likely the amount will vary a little. However, there are general guidelines that you can use to see if your little one falls near the mark […]

Tuesday’s Tip! While there is no specific time that you have to stop swaddling your newborn or infant, we recommend that after around one month of age, babies should be swaddled ONLY for naps and night-time so as to increase mobility and allow babies to begin to learn about what is around them through movement […]

As mentioned in last week’s blog – making time for yourself and partner is as important as anything you can do for yourself and your family!   “Date night” doesn’t mean you need to leave the house or spend money on a sitter either.   Sometimes, we feed the kids and put them to bed, […]

My blogs, columns, and discussions with parents almost always revolve around children and family, but sometimes it’s necessary to be selfish and put YOUR needs first. After all, what good are you to your family if you are constantly putting everyone else and their needs first, and end up feeling miserable (often, before you even […]

When to keep your sick baby/child at home I read an article recently which stated that “The common cold is not enough reason to keep a child at home.”. In which universe? I agree that the occasional runny nose or very mild cough is not enough reason to have to take a few days off […]

While the rest of the country heads into Spring, us Albertans are familiar with that last big bunch of snow that hits in mid to late March, every year. And, today is the day apparently. Thank goodness it’s not accompanied by horribly cold temperatures, so it’s actually the perfect weather to enjoy some outdoor snowy […]

Could it be so? Is it time? Sometime between 14 and 18 months, your toddler will start to only nap once a day. (Some, like mine, sooner even!) At around 3 years old your child will likely stop napping completely. This can vary greatly though, from child to child. Some are ready to stop napping […]

Personally, I would prefer to see it abolished, but since I can think of better things to spend my time advocating for, I guess we will have to live with it…for now. Yes, it’s that time of year again. The clock ‘springs forward’ by one hour on Sunday, March 9th. Here are a couple different […]

I read this the other day: “Welcome to Parenthood, where everyone is always right. Except you.” I get a kick out of that statement, because it can often ring true! There is SO much information (and misinformation) floating around these days, that it can be hard to read between the lines, and weed through the […]