Nurture

Living within your means, budgeting, and saving for important goals should be discussed openly — and they should be discussed often. In many households, money is a taboo topic. Some parents would rather talk to their kids about sex than money! Many parents say they avoid talking about money with their kids because they don’t

I reach my arms into a pile of damp clothes and groan. Yet again, our ventless condensation dryer has failed to do its job. The clothes will have to hang to dry. The problem is, our laundry room also serves as a shared bedroom for my two daughters, the only closet and storage space for

Meat-free doesn’t have to be a Monday thing. These ready-made proteins taste great and make plant-based eating a no-brainer. With the refresh of Canada’s Food Guide in early 2019, more and more families are now embracing plant-based meat alternatives—and why not? These vegetarian meats taste great and are kinder on the environment. While cooking without

Men need to be out in the world demanding childcare and support for working parents with the same fervour as mothers. “Sorry, I can’t do that meeting this afternoon,” the nation’s big bankers and lawyers have started saying to their bosses, months after their wives began saying similar things to their own. “I’ve got to

Our inboxes are flooded with the latest and greatest in new parenting products every day. From exciting new toys and clever innovations for baby to tools that help make raising kids just a little bit easier, our editors have selected some of their favourite launches this month. 1. Bugaboo by Gray Malin Photo courtesy of

You’re not just imagining it! Coronavirus has led more kids to ask about tough topics like death and loneliness. Here’s the best way to address them, according to experts. Why do people have to die? Are mistakes always bad? Can you be happy and sad at the same time? Kids often ask questions like these

In June 2018, Carrie Seaton* was paying close to $2,500 a month in child care for her two kids. She and her husband faced a one-and-a-half-hour commute to and from work each day from Mission, BC, to Vancouver, and both had jobs at which late-night meetings were often scheduled at the last minute. They were

It’s very hard to be in the same house with my husband, but I just keep looking at my kids. I make $150,000 a year, but my husband has me on a monthly allowance: $400 a month to spend on myself. If, say, I go $60 over, I start the next month $60 in the

Michelle McIvor can’t remember a time when she wasn’t playmates or friends with her brother. Growing up in Edmonton, the siblings, who are three years apart, spent weekends in their backyard jungle gym, played tag in the local park and made up songs together while walking to school. “We were always really close,” says McIvor,

“His life will be so different from mine, but I can’t help but worry. Until every country in the world allows gay marriage and gives everyone equal rights, I will always be scared.” Growing up, most of my friends were girls, and this is still true today. My best friend, Debbie, is a girl I

“I know that if anyone were to challenge any of my coupled queer friends’ abilities to parent, I’d be the first to defend them. So why won’t I do the same for myself?” Photo: Courtesy of Tara-Michelle Ziniuk When I decided to become a single-mom-by-choice more than five years ago, I thought long and hard

It’s not all bad! Eight Canadian children share some of the upsides to cocooning, from learning new skills to cute puppy cuddles. While parents may be entirely over being stuck at home, for some kids, it’s been a catalyst to gain a fresh perspective on life and family. Here, eight Canadian children share some of

Finding and vetting the right babysitter at any time is tough—and doing so during the COVID-19 pandemic makes it that much tougher. Here’s some help. It’s been a long, difficult few months of taking care of the kids without any help whatsoever, but you’ve finally decided on hiring a babysitter during coronavirus. Support is on

Being deliberate in the toys and games you choose for your kids to play with at an early age will have long term payoff. We know that play is an important part of your kid’s development. To make sure they’re getting the most out of their toys, games and books, we’ve rounded up a selection

It’s a bit out of the norm, but I think a lot of couples secretly yearn for our arrangement. “What are you going to tell Ben about this when he grows up?” my friend asks, horrified by our situation and the potential psychological damage it might inflict on our two-year-old son. That this is just

On any given day, I make 17 snacks, change 12 diapers, listen to 957 complaints, constantly remind everyone to wash their hands, and burst into tears at least three times.  Yes, this is life with young kids. It’s what I signed up for and no, it’s not glamorous. Being a mom doesn’t come with “me”

Didn’t get a chance to say thank you to your kid’s teacher? It’s not too late. Didn’t get a chance to thank your kid’s teacher this year? With schools across the country shutting down until September (at least), many parents and kids are regretting not getting in their goodbyes and thank yous back in March.

Lindsay Scott is a Toronto-based employment lawyer and a partner at Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein LLP. She also volunteers at the free employment law hotline run by Pro Bono Ontario, and is the mother of a one-year-old. She spoke with Chatelaine about the effects of COVID-19 on Canadian businesses and employees. So, most of the calls that

Not hearing Ojibway as a kid was something I didn’t give much thought to—probably because I didn’t know any different. No one spoke the language in my home. My mother, a former student of several residential schools, was ashamed of being Indigenous. In fact, she would sometimes tell people she was French. I grew up

How can I offer a child a love that I’ve never received? Friends assure me becoming a mom is an instinct, but that feels too simple. Growing up, Mother’s Day was an annual reminder my classmates’ families had a member that my family didn’t. In grade two, a substitute teacher instructed our class to make