Am I raising a princess or a pioneer?

  My beautiful daughter, Jacqueline, is my princess. Like most fathers, I do sometimes put my daughter on a ‘princess’ pedestal.    However, I do not want to raise a princess.  I want to raise a Pioneer woman. After reading an incredible book, Strong...

Pick your parenting battles

Is this a Hill I am willing to die on? My 3 year old daughter is a riot to play games with – especially board games.  My parents were just out visiting over Christmas.  Games with grandpa are always a highlight for my daughter.  I peeked in on them playing...

Seniors: move it or lose it!

  “A man's health can be judged by which he takes two at a time:  Pills or stairs.”  ~Joan Welsh Today’s older adults want to stay active as long as they can, to carry on their favourite activities.  I have friends well into their 70s who still...

Children and noise control

The great comedian Dennis Leary once said it best: “When you become a parent it all becomes about the quiet. The peace and quiet that you once knew, kiss it goodbye and don’t think about it again; you signed onto 18 years of crashing and banging and NOISE!” I can vouch on...

Forget you, let's talk about me!

Photo: Contributed - (Photo: Flickr user, lineart-rules) People don’t like to listen to braggers. We’ve all met at least one. You know, the guy you bump into at a networking event that introduces himself and immediately starts yakking? He might ask what you...

Coping strategies

Life is far from perfect. No matter outward appearances, even the most ideal seeming life (okay, maybe not Angelina Jolie) is rife with challenges, losses, and obstacles to overcome. What separates individuals who let life get them down from those who overcome and even flourish under difficult...

Getting your bite back

People who are edentulous are missing important parts of their bodies, 32 to be exact. They are physically impaired according to the World Health Organization and would be considered disabled by most dentists. Losing your teeth often has devastating consequences. People without teeth avoid...

Slack Alice's - memories

When I was very young, sometimes my dad would head out in the late afternoon, and I would ask where he had gone. "To Slacks with the boys," I was told. I didn't have a great idea of what a Slacks was. Maybe it was some sort of men's club? Well, not exactly. Slacks was a...

LOL!

Photo: Contributed - (Flickr user, citizenof1world) Laughter is the best medicine. I believe this wholeheartedly, although I know many pharmaceutical companies who would prefer us not to (and I worked for a distributor, so I should know). Scientists have proven the good...

As good as it gets

  Photo: Contributed - (Flickr user, 11441828@N04)   Ponder giving and the positive consequences and repercussions giving brings. Fact is, giving with our best intentions feels amazing and yields a positive impact on our minds, bodies, and souls (good...

Making a grand entrance

  There is a single spot in your home that is seen by everybody who knocks on your front door. It is also the most neglected space in the house. It’s the foyer or front entrance. Homeowners typically get excited by decorating the living spaces and bedrooms and often forget...

The noise on toys

  Photo: Contributed - (Flickr user, cafemama)   The season is upon us and it is time to hit the toy stores again! But let’s keep in mind that not all toys are created equal. As a Dad and a Doctor of Audiology, I find it important to be reminded that...

Is it crazy to think positive?

  Photo: Contributed   Today I am working towards Greatness! What if that is our first thought of the day? How would our day be? Imagine it, you open your eyes and you consciously make that choice to have the thought, “Today I am working towards...

The art of relaxation

  Work sucked today. Walking in the door at home, your heart sinks because both FooFoo and FiFi threw up at various locations throughout the house. No one posted on your Facebook page. It looks like the toilet is leaking. What in the world is a person on the edge to...

Stay Connected

Have you ever tried to do something with no help from others? It is not impossible, but it is much more fun and enjoyable to share it with others. As well, if you are surrounded with positive friends, people who want you to succeed, they will encourage and inspire you to heights you never...

Door closes on foreign workers

Changes to the provincial immigration program will leave entry level foreign workers with limited options. While immigration to Canada is regulated by the federal government, there are, however, employment-driven streams toward permanent residency which each province is able to facilitate. In...

Lifelong Learning

  Photo: Contributed Donna is an active member of SLR Society for Learning in Retirement.   Are you a lifelong learner? You might wonder why you should care about learning in your senior years. Because the latest research proves that learning keeps...

Border Alert!

Summer means increased cross-border traffic with the vacation season kick-off on the July 1 to 4 long weekend. On average, weekend traffic volumes during July and August are significantly higher than weekends during the spring and fall. Last year, heavier than normal Canada-bound traveller...

To serve and collect

In the late 1980s in Ontario, a driver in a pickup truck, while on her way to work, lost control of her vehicle, crossed over the meridian, ran down a coulee and crashed into a vehicle in a shopping mall, killing a young pregnant woman, her unborn child and her two-year-old son. During the...

Poor indoor ventilation

  Photo: Contributed Craig Hostland P. Eng. RHI, Owner of Pillar To Post Okanagan.   Without proper indoor ventilation not only will unsavoury odours build up over time in your home, but also the development of moulds and mildews from excess...