Homework: Oui ou Non?

According to a tidbit in the April issue of Parents magazine, French president Francois Hollande has proposed a ban on homework. When Parents asked their readers, 65% were in favor of banning homework in the US, and 35% were against.

What do you think?

As a parent (note that my girls are only in JK and Grade 1) I have no concerns about the little homework they receive. I like getting them into routine at a young age, and any activities that come home help reinforce basic literacy and numeracy skills. But I also can acknowledge now, from experience, that it is an extra step each evening (and while just checking and signing planners takes only seconds, it is "one more thing" to get done on already busy weeknights).

Why are weeknights so busy? At the moment, our girls have dance lessons on Sunday evenings, and that's their only commitment, though Spring gets busier. I totally value extracurriculars, whether they're athletic, artistic or anything else, and I fully support the idea that school isn't everything. But is playing hockey a valid excuse for never doing anything academic at home? Do the two have to be mutually exclusive?

As a Grade 3/4 teacher, I generally assign two kinds of homework:

1.  Personal activities that require parental input (e.g. Religion sheet on 'The Day I Was Born' or Social Studies sheet on 'Where Our Family Came From').  These take no more than 10 minutes to complete, and I usually give several days' notice. When kids bring back this information, it gets shared with the class and sparks a lot of participation and discussion before being posted prominently in the room or the hall.

2. Work that is not completed in class, which only tends to be Math practice work. I'd say about 80% of my students finish practice activities (which aren't done every day) during class time, and the other 20% take some home, whether that's because the subject is challenging for them or they are still learning to manage their class time. I also encourage kids to take their books home anyway to review new concepts each evening or to prepare for tests. And I'll be honest: I push a little harder because Grade 3 is an EQAO (our provincial standardized testing) year, and there is an awful lot of Math curriculum to learn.
I feel like it would be a disservice to my students if either of these types of homework was "banned", as they would lose out on sharing curriculum with parents, and it would be harder for a few of them to consolidate our Math concepts without the extra practice time.



In (my) ideal world, kids would do a little bit of assigned work in the evenings, but then enjoy family time, with sports or other commitments a couple of times per week, and lots of time to play freely and read/write/draw whatever it is they feel like. (As long as they clean it all up after. Hey, this is my ideal world, I can make the rules.) But I know (because parents have told me) that it's hard to motivate some kids to read even for pleasure, and it helps if "Mrs. Winn says you have to".



I try very hard not to send things home that end up being the parents' project (though it is certainly tradition at our school for parents to help write the kids' Public Speeches). I can remember my own Grade 5 teacher asking us to build a Medieval project at home. A written report, I could have handled independently with ease, but "building" was not my forte (notice my use of past tense, as if implying that has changed). My parents (both teachers) had no interest in taking on my project, so I procrastinated (yes, me!) and on the last day my Dad agreed to cut a Coat of Arms out of wood for me to decorate. I brought it in...and set it on the table with 24 incredible, out-of-a-magazine-looking castles. I think that was the first "B" I ever received (okay fine, maybe I had a few in Art), and I was devastated. Did our home projects really reflect the students' understanding of the Medieval Times?

Curriculum and assessment have changed dramatically since then (in Ontario, teachers are instructed to assess only the work that students complete with us in class and B's are to be celebrated), but are we really ready to eliminate all types of homework entirely?

What are your thoughts? Would you support a full-out ban on homework? Do your kids get too much, the right amount, or too little? What homework gripes or questions do you have? I'd love for you to share here!

Nia Vardalos: The "Instant Mom"-terview

Nia Vardalos' new book, "Instant Mom", is about adoption. But let me be clear: it is not just about adoption. It's more of a hybrid parenting/humour/autobiography-she-didn't-want-to-write type of book. And you should read it.

I mean first of all, the woman is fun-ny. While I sobbed at several parts (when her daughter first calls her "Mommy", for example), Nia's trademark self-deprecating humour is everywhere: ("I don't want to get airtime by making a sex tape with someone in celebrity rehab. I mean, not right now.")

And while Nia asserts that she did not want to write an autobiography, the references to her projects (you may have heard of a little movie she wrote and starred in called "My Big Fat Greek Wedding") and some name-dropping (you know, Tom Hanks, Queen Elizabeth, whatever) are actually great vehicles for drawing readers in, and spreading the message about her path to motherhood.

In 2008, after several unsuccessful rounds of IVF and some false starts with the adoption process, Nia and her husband, actor Ian Gomez, adopted an almost three year old girl from the American foster system - a system surrounded in many myths that Nia debunks in the book. For example, many of these kids are, in fact, available for adoption: there are 129,000 children in foster care who are legally freed from their biological parents and waiting for a permanent home. She also discusses the misconception that kids from foster care (even those who come from backgrounds of abuse) are "damaged", pointing out that she has met many who are well-adjusted and successful adults.

Now, please be clear: Nia is not an "adoptive mom" - she is a mom. A protective mom, who has kept her child away from paparazzi (they used a kitten disguise when she was younger to foil the attempts of photogs trying to get a good shot) and is only now releasing the name of her daughter (Ilaria, who today is almost 8). This Mom sat down with That Mom for a Momterview.

Nia's Canadian-ness shows through right away when she apologizes for being two minutes late (with a very good excuse), and after I tell her how much I loved the book (because gushing is exactly the way professional journalists do it) we get to the questions.

This Mom: You write about really personal topics like infertility, IVF, and adoption and recount some of the insensitive or even accidental foot-in-mouth things that people have said. For well-meaning people out there who really just want to express interest or show support to a friend going through something like this, what can they say or do?

Nia Vardalos: I remember a friend saying this to me: "I hear you're going through something" - she didn't use any words - "If you ever want to talk about it, please call me." That really stayed with me because it was open, she didn't even make me blush, it just made me feel very loved. And in the book I talk about a friend who quietly placed a prayer card in my hand. So kind. And she whispered in my ear "This worked for me", which I just thought was so lovely. And the day that our daughter's adoption was finalized, I sent the friend, Donna, flowers with the prayer card in the middle of it.

This Mom: Without giving too much away, in the book you write about an error that was made by an embryo specialist, and how he apologized and actually put it all in writing, which is a bit of a surprise in today's litigious society. What did that mean to you?

NV: It meant to me that his soul was seeking forgiveness and he had no fear of retribution, he just knew it was the right thing to do. In him reaching out that way, I realized that the right thing to do would be release him of any guilt on his part, and I felt light. I felt as light as a I feel with the book.

I'm terrified to go public, terrified, and yet I just pre-taped the Katie Couric show {That Katie is always snagging my guests first!} and just to say my daughter's name out loud in that setting...I was shaking. In fact, Katie said to me on the break "You're sweating", and I was - on my upper lip! {Nia's upper lip sweat is basically a character in the book.} My heart was pounding. I don't get nervous about performing, I've met the Queen, I've hung out with Elton John, nothing makes me nervous. Yet, the protectiveness I feel toward my daughter is the only thing that can make me rear up on my hind legs like a mama bear!

TM: You wrote a great chapter on "Mother Nurture", since of course parents who adopt know that they can't credit - or blame - their own genetics when it comes to their children's qualities. Can you elaborate on some of the traits that you think Ilaria gets from you and your husband?

NV: The strangest thing happened recently, and it's not in the book, I'm giving it to you. {Take that, Katie Couric!} So, our daughter has never seen us act, it's not like we do sketch comedy in our kitchen, even though it's a pretty funny house, she's never seen our movies or seen us in plays, nothing. Of course we sing all the time, but a lot of parents do. Well, she just performed in a local theatre production of "Little Shop of Horrors", and the kid has it. I know all parents think their kids are talented, but my friends and I - our jaws were on the ground. I looked at my friends - Rose, Tracy, the Core I talk about in the book - and I said "This is what our moms felt when they looked at us! They said 'When did you rehearse? When did you learn this? How were you able to do this?'", and they agreed, they remembered that. I remember my mom saying to me "How did you do that?" and I'd say "I don't know!" and it was fun. There was no pressure, I wasn't precocious, I was just very comfortable on stage, and I just saw my daughter be the same way. That's not nurturing, that's not nature, I don't know what it is! Is it in her DNA? Again, is it just the match made in heaven? We don't know!

TM: Being Canadian myself, I'm wondering if there are any particularly Canadian traits or traditions that are part of your family life with your daughter?

NV:  Well, we celebrate two Thanksgivings, we do things like that. Definitely manners and politeness. My husband is a New Yorker so he cringes when I open a cab door in New York and say to the driver "Are you for hire?" Yet, he now sees our daughter, when we leave a store, turn to the shopkeeper and say "Thank you!" and realizes that manners go a long way. You never really worry if you're doing the right thing or the wrong thing, you just know if you have a good foundation of manners you'll be comfortable in any situation. And of course, the thank you note. She writes thank you notes.

TM: You write about the fact that no matter how hands-on many modern fathers are, moms seem to always take the responsibility for the planning and scheduling of children's activities - why do you think this is?

NV:  I don't know if it's because we are able to multitask...I know that sounds sexist, but I have seen my husband flummoxed when he has to answer the door while carrying a beer and our daughter in the other hand. I see him like "What should I put down first?" "Um, the beer!"

Nia and Ian on Oscar Night (Source: Nia's Twitter account)

TM: In the book, you advise that when it comes to parenting, "Don't make everything a teachable moment". Can you elaborate on that?

NV: I think I learned that in my relationship. My husband has become a very good listener. At first in our relationship, when I would complain to him about a work situation or a friend that had said something, he wanted to fix it. And I would say to him "I don't need you to fix anything, I need you to listen." And that was such a lesson for the two of us because as I articulated it, it became clear to me and that's what I use for my daughter. She will pour out angst over a situation, all sorts of things, and I'll ask her, "Do you want me to do anything?" and she'll say "Nope!" Sometimes she says yes, she does want me to do something, but it never is about me. It's about her realizing how she feels as she articulates it. She's a talker.

TM: You write in "Instant Mom" that you always buy yourself a piece of jewelery to celebrate the signing of a contract for a project. I'm curious to know - what did you buy yourself to commemorate this book?

NV: I have a beautiful black onyx ring on my right hand that is on the cover of the book.

TM: How would you complete the sentence "This Mom Loves..."?

NV:  This mom loves purses. I love kindness. I am generally attracted to a person who commits random acts of unwarranted kindness. If I see someone on the subway reach out and help an elderly woman through a turnstile I gushingly want to be that person's friend.

******

As we wrap up, Nia asks if we've spoken before, as my voice is familiar to her. When I reply that we have not, she says "Maybe we're just supposed to be friends!" Since that moment, I have been referring to her as "my friend Nia Vardalos"...and will continue to do so until her lawyers request otherwise.

"Instant Mom" is being released tomorrow, so look for it in your local bookstore or order it online now. You can also follow @NiaVardalos on Twitter for more information or just pure entertainment.

As for the book, if you're thinking about adoption, there's a fantastic "How To" Appendix at the back with tons of information. If you have adopted, you will no doubt relate to a lot of what Nia says, though of course no two families have the same experience. And if your path to parenthood (or away from parenthood) is completely different, I promise you'll still enjoy the read.

The last thing I want to tell you about Instant Mom: at one point in the book, Nia talks about getting support from her own family, writing: "And now that my mom is here, everything starts to get better." I imagine that's exactly how Ilaria felt about her.

How I Spring Cleaned My Twitter Account {And Tim's Card Up For Grabs!}

{Prologue: If you read to the end, you could win a $25 Tim Horton's gift card!}

Twitter can be wonderful, especially for bloggers. Last week, I sent out this tweet:

I was published in @todaysparent! Ok, so they just quoted my tweet on their letters page but still. Totally a foot in the door, right?
— Kate Winn (@thismomloves) March 22, 2013

Within minutes, 8 people had "Favorited" the tweet (Why? I still don't understand "Favorites"; can someone please tell me how you use them?), 9 had replied to me with their support, and 5 had very kindly retweeted my message. Including Today's Parent, who sent it to their 423,753(ish) followers. Which then (again within minutes) landed me 14 new followers. When I checked them out, I followed several back, and noticed that I shared something fairly important in common with one, which led to a series of interesting DMs (Direct Messages). All because of one Tweet.

But I know I haven't always used my Twitter account to my (or my followers') advantage, so I decided it was time for a Spring clean.

I reread my copy of Twitter For Dummies, basically because one night I wanted to have a bath and had no reading material (which will make sense to some of you) so I went down to the reference section of my bookshelf (yes I have a reference shelf, and no it is not alphabetized, thank you very much), chose an old favourite and gleaned some new ideas.

Here's what I did to refresh @thismomloves on Twitter:

• Updated my profile photo. The last one was three years old, but I liked it! And yes, I've taken some other decent pictures over the last three years but some have other people in them, or distracting backgrounds or were from when I was blonde, and now I'm brunette again so that seemed silly. You may be able to see the new shot above on my tweet, but just in case you desperately want to see it in detail:

(By the way, I was dressed up for an important reason. Which I will share here someday once I get my nerve up. I don't know if you can tell, but I'm wearing a LOT of makeup.)

• Updated my profile page. It used to just have the boring and functional description: "Mom, teacher, freelance writer, blogger". Lately I've seen some inspiring profiles that were more personal and/or clever, so I decided to add a few more details (more personal, still not clever). You'll have to check out my profile to see!

• Checked my Settings, and visited the Help Centre to learn more about Twitter. I wasn't sure about some things, for example why I wasn't seeing when the people I followed sent @replies to others  (which I would sometimes notice when looking at a person's profile). Here's why:  "People will only see others' @replies in their home timeline if they are following both the sender and recipient of the @reply." Learn something new every day. (When your kids come home from school and say they learned "nothing", they are lying.)

• Found Friends: when I joined, not a lot of my friends were on Twitter. I used the Find Friends feature to search my Yahoo mail contacts to see who else is on. I actually only found a few to follow (wow, tongue-twisters galore here)...and how did I not know my Mom is on Twitter?

• Checked in with JustUnfollow.com: This app shows you the users you follow who do not follow you. Most of the celebrities I follow show up on this list (I can "whitelist" them so they don't pop up every time I check) but I can also see if anyone has unfollowed me lately. Case in point: someone who just followed me last week, whom I followed back because she looked interesting, proceeded to unfollow me a day later. Nice. So yes, I unfollowed her too. Maybe she is indeed interesting, but no longer someone I want to support if she's that shady about boosting her Twitter numbers. I'm sure some of my followers have checked out because the only reason they followed in the first place was for a giveaway...which is why using that as a bonus entry sometimes seems ridiculous to me, but I still do it occasionally to reward those who do follow @thismomloves.

• Rethought how I use Triberr. Long story short, Triberr is a network where you form a "Tribe" with other bloggers, and tweet out their post headlines, as a way to help increase each other's reach. I did a whole post questioning the value of Triberr a few months ago, and finally decided to just relax. I check in every couple of days, and only tweet out headlines that really interest me, and which I think my followers would also be interested in. And yes, I do this more often for my Tribesmates who actually go to the effort to tweet out my stuff too (I'm talking about you, Raylene @OKtobeWEIRD, you generous Tweeter).

• Made a decision to use Twitter less as a "Here's a link to my post so come on over" tool. I've posted a few favourite quotes (from The Little Prince, most recently), retweeted some interesting things I've come across in my stream, and I've been making an effort to (in a genuine way), engage with others by replying to things they say.

• Tried to start using more photos, like the one last week that showed how my new Target dress was falling apart more and more - in several different places - as my workday went on (see below). Yeah, it was so embarrassing that it became funny. At least I never flashed more than my arms and some upper-leg tights. In other questionable photography, there was also my 4 year old with her temporary Guinness Shamrock tattoo on St. Patrick's Day.

When it comes to Twitter, one thing that frustrates me is when I send out a general question, e.g.:  "Anyone see anything good at the movies lately?" which theoretically goes to 2200 people, and I get crickets in response. Christy from @morethanmommy commented somewhere  (sorry I can't be more specific) that is seems like "Everyone is talking and no one is listening", which really resonated with me (I mean, if I can't keep up with 300 people, how can others actually see tweets from the thousands that they follow?) but I think the more I engage with others, the more I'll get back in return.

In closing, here is my secret for not being overwhelmed by Twitter: As of the writing of this post, I have 2230 Twitter followers, and I am following 298. Many whom I follow are those who followed me from the beginning (lots of Mom bloggers) and I don't have the heart to unfollow them, despite the fact that I cannot possibly keep up with the stream. On my BlackBerry, I can scroll for a full minute, and not even get through the last hour's worth of posts, which is crazy if I'm trying to read a day's worth in one sitting (and I can also scroll for minutes and only see giveaway tweets).

While I do offer giveaways on my blog, at my readers' request (I actually did a poll) I'm not a big entrant so these tweets aren't helpful to me. So what I did was create a list I first called "Celebs", but where I have basically listed anyone whose tweets I don't want to miss (about 50 people. And the list is private, so you'll never know who's on it!) When I log in, I go straight to my "Celebs" list, and within a few scrolls I can catch up on the entire day for these Tweeters. Or Twits. When I have more time, like on the weekends, I scroll through my general timeline but can't possibly read every tweet that's been sent out.

So that I never miss anything that's personal to me, I have my e-mail notifications set up so that if anyone @mentions me or sends me an @reply or a Direct Message, I find out right away and can respond.

I'm hoping this Spring Cleaning will help me to use Twitter in a more meaningful way, and to give my followers a better experience with @thismomloves too.

How about you? Are you a Twitter boycotter, newbie or expert? What will you do to Spring Clean your Twitter account?

{Epilogue: This is a bit of an experiment. Here is a link to the tweet for this post:
https://twitter.com/thismomloves/status/317248721215692801
 Anyone who retweets it before Sunday, April 7th at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time will be entered to win a $25 Tim Horton's gift card. Your odds are good, because I am predicting that maybe a dozen people will do this, but perhaps I'll be surprised. Good luck!}

Hallmark's Spring Treasures

Spring is prime gift-giving season (Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Graduation) and Hallmark is one-stop shopping for both useful and keepsake gifts.

When my latest Hallmark Ambassador box arrived on the doorstep (Maggie was very proud of herself for spotting the delivery truck and dragging the box in herself) I found tons of great goodies, including:

Thumpin' Thumper ($14.95 with three card purchase, reg. $24.95)

When Maggie was a baby, we used to call her "Thumper" because of the noises she made in her crib every morning. I wouldn't be surprised if the Easter Bunny left her something just like this: a plush toy who thumps and says three different greetings.

Mason Interactive Story Buddy and Interactive Storybook ($34.95)


I'm a longtime fan of Hallmark's Interactive Story Buddies. When you read the books aloud, the animals respond to certain phrases and make comments. This one also comes with a read-along audio CD and free access to digital storytime. You can also purchase other Mason storybooks for $9.95 each. (There's a new female Story Buddy too - Posey the cat.)

While the Squawkin' Egg Droppin' Hen arrived with last year's collection, she's still a favourite at our house, and was the first fought-over item when I brought the Easter decorations out this year ($15.95 with three card purchase, reg. $30.95):

Magic Prints ($4.99 - $24.95)



Available in a range of formats, these personalized gifts come with Mess-Free (safe, nontoxic and easy to clean) Crayola Magic Solution which reveals handprints or footprints from children or pets.

My final fave item:

Pics 'N' Props For Mom, Grandma, Dad and Graduation ($24.95, special price $16.95 - $19.95)

These kits come with special themed props (e.g. signs to hold up in photos) and a frame or album to store the memories. I know an upcoming graduate who will love to make use of the Graduation kit I received.

Other Spring items include mugs, stationery...and of course, cards!

Disclosure: I received some of the above-named items for review purposes. Opinions are, as always, my own.

As Seen On Cityline: Framed Doily

I have several gorgeous doilies made for me by my Grandma, but hiding in a special box in the linen closet, waiting for the use of doilies in general decorating to come back into style (or to pass on to my girls, whichever comes first).

Thanks to an episode of Cityline (all about how lace is very trendy right now) I was inspired to recreate one of the ideas from the show: framing a doily for wall display.

You know I love my dollar store frames, but because of the shape of the doily, I needed something square (most frames are rectangular) so I went to Michael's and picked up one of their 12 x 12 record album frames. It was $29.99, and since Michael's always has coupons, I really should have brought the one from their weekly flyer which could have saved me 40%. But I didn't. My coworkers will be very amused to learn that I actually did something without being fully planned in advance, an oversight which cost me $12.

For the background, I knew I wanted to use a sheet of scrapbook paper, so I selected one from Michael's as well ($0.99) which you can see in the photo below:

Once I assembled things, however, I realized that the small pink floral print looked much too granny-ish (no offense, Grandma!) with the doily, and I needed something with a bit more of an unexpected pattern. I looked through some of the scrapbook paper I already owned, and made a different selection. The final product:

The great thing about this project is that the background can be replaced anytime, when I want to switch rooms (right now it's hanging in our main bathroom) or if I ever want to put something seasonal behind it.

While incorporating doilies into my decorating wasn't a high priority on my list, having an heirloom (from someone as special as my Grandma) on display like this is very meaningful, which I think is important for all accessories. Thanks for the idea, Cityline!

Like Mother, Like Daughter

On the March Break, I came across my seven year old working busily in front of the Barbie house:

When I asked her what she was doing, she said she would show me when the work was done. My patience was rewarded when she proudly held up:

And then she enlisted her little sister to help her implement the interior design she had carefully planned.

Dr. Karyn Gordon, Relationship and Parenting Expert: The Momterview

So, what would you say if you received an invitation to have your own private appointment with a relationship and parenting expert who's making her mark on both sides of our friendly border? Yeah, me too!

I first became acquainted with Dr. Karyn Gordon's work when she was a guest expert on The Mom Show, which I basically inhaled daily during my first mat leave in 2006. Since then, I've seen her quality advice and encouragement pop up on Cityline and in print (Chatelaine and Today's Parent, just to name a couple); media appearances which complement her solution-focused marriage and family counseling practice in Toronto. (Oh, and did I mention she's married with five year old twins?)

You may be wondering what deeply personal parenting and marriage concerns I run by Dr. Karyn in our session...but sorry to disappoint you, the journalist in me is much more interested in learning about her than giving away anything too personal about myself!

I do ask her what some of the most common struggles are for parents of our generation, and she responds that one of the top questions she's usually asked is about discipline and structure, and how to get our kids to do what we want (or need) them to do. There's also the whole issue of parents worrying about how to maintain their relationships with the demands of young kids, which is a really common concern as well.

In case you're wondering about her title, "Dr." isn't just some television nickname; Dr. Karyn has a Bachelor in Psychology, a Masters in Counseling, a Doctorate in Marriage and Family Therapy and has done extensive studies in generational differences, personalities, leadership and EQ (Emotional Intelligence). Dr. Karyn's practice (she works with kids, teens and adults) is very solution-oriented, which contrasts with the traditional talk-therapy that many of us may think of when we hear the term "counseling".

"Solution-oriented therapy really resonates with me," she says. "I like to fix problems, I don't just like to talk about them, so I built my entire practice around that. It works really well as people see results quickly. People are busy and clients don't want long-term talk therapy."

This approach is particularly effective for men in marriage counseling, notes Dr. Karyn: "It keeps husbands engaged. They don't want to talk about their feelings, they want a strategic action plan to fix this problem. Some people find talk therapy helpful, it can be cathartic to talk things out, but in terms of really changing anything I let people vent but quickly move over to finding solutions to the problems."

Does it really work? "Part of the reason that it's so hard to get into my office is because everybody hears about our phenomenal results. Our track record with teens and couples is well over 95 percent."

When I ask Dr. Karyn what she loves best about her job, her answer is immediate: "The highlight would be seeing people change. I find it's very energizing when I see people make progress. That's one of the reasons I don't want to do talk therapy. I'm not into the small talk, I want to see people progress and move forward, whether that's at my practice, or speaking, or media. I certainly see the change more at my practice, but I love the media side because it's a great platform for teaching things to people who never come into my office."

Curious to know how someone goes from having an area of expertise to becoming an in-demand media and speaking presence (she's spoken to over 1/4 million people), I ask Dr. Karyn for her tips, which are:

• Figure out what your niche is
• Figure out an angle that's not out there now
• Start pitching it
• Start small with local media and work your way up
• Focus on word of mouth and a lot of networking: "When I started, it was somebody knew somebody who knew somebody and following up on all those different leads."
• Remember that each medium is different; TV is  harder to break into than radio and print as it's more competitive.
• Manage your expectations (so, I guess I won't start with The View!)

Karyn and Tracy Moore (photo www.cityline.ca)

As a Catholic teacher, I was interested to see on her website that she is booked for several days with an Ontario Catholic District School Board, so I ask her what her task will be with them. "Some boards have me training teachers, but in this case, the Director of Education heard me speak and she rounded up some funding to bring me in for three days focused completely on the kids. I'll be speaking to students, mostly high school but I believe some elementary, and it's focused on self-esteem and confidence." (Hmm...wonder if we can round up some funds for that? Though I'd be torn between having her work with the students or having her speak to us adults!)

I am also curious to know how the "parenting expert" deals with her own busy sons. "I find it physically tiring, but emotionally very energizing. I work part time, usually Monday, Wednesday and Friday and I'm home with the kids on Tuesday and Thursday, so for me I feel that's a really good mix. It's fun applying all this stuff to my own boys. I've been working for approximately 17 years but it's different with your own kids. It's fun for me to take all this information that I've learned and worked on with families and apply it to my own kids and realize how incredibly effective it is. It's cool to be kind of the student of my own teaching in a way. I love that part, it's very exciting for me."

She adds, "Being a parenting expert, I had hoped I'd love being a mom, but you don't really know until you get there! I really do love it. It's the purest form of joy there is. I love how they ask questions and they're inquisitive. They're picking up stuff I've taught them and they challenge me. The other day, one of my sons said: 'Mommy, you and Daddy have got to get on the same page!' using the same language he'd heard from my husband and me."

Dr. Karyn is also a best-selling author (Dr. Karyn’s Guide to the Teen Years / Harper Collins) and founder of dk Leadership: An Inspirational Leadership and Coaching Center For Teens, Couples and Adults.

For more information on Dr. Karyn, visit the dk Leadership website or follow her on Twitter.

Family Fun at the Royal Ontario Museum

March Break at the ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) is popular. Very popular. In fact, when we arrived an hour after opening, the ticket line outside stretched well past the "30 minutes to admission" sign posted on the sidewalk.

Once inside, however, there's more than enough room for everyone. This was the first time we've taken our girls (ages 7 and almost 5) and the first time I've been there in almost 30 years. It was a fantastic day!

There was a neat "Passport to the World" March Break program taking place where kids could complete activities in various galleries and get their passports stamped, but our kids just wanted to roam.

Some of the highlights:

The Mummies

Animals of any kind (there were several touchable versions as well;
here Maggie attempts a roar)

Replica Tomb

A dig for dinosaur bones  (in what you will later see referred to as "the sandbox")

 with safety goggles and paintbrushes:

Trying on costumes, like this Chinese Court Robe

Hanging out in a tipi (I'm not used to this spelling but I'm going to

assume the ROM knows these things)

Dinosaur bones (before Maggie's interest waned). Display ends March 17th.

Moonwalking Photo Op

When I asked my girls for their favourite parts of the day:

Maggie: "I liked the Bat Cave because it was creepy and I wanted to run because I thought there was a real snake inside. I really liked the sandbox because you got to dig and dig and dig until you found the bones. I liked seeing the queen and the knight {Medieval Times live presentation} but I didn't like that we had to go before it was over."

Frannie: "I liked the Bat Cave because it was kind of freaky but also cool because I got to be scared and I had a chance to see what it's like with bats and I felt kind of like I was a bat. I also liked the dinosaurs and the tipi, because my sister and I could pretend we were Aboriginal People."


A couple of my personal highlights (unfortunately I never made it to "Textiles and Costumes" on Level 4, which I had hoped to see):

"An Egyptian Woman Prepares for a Banquet" (On a related note, who knew that

Egyptian women enjoyed the same social and legal status as men?)

While Celtic artifacts aren't heavily represented at the museum, I did come across these treasures from our family's ancestors: Irish gold. Wouldn't mind finding some of this at the end of the rainbow this St. Patrick's Day!

I was also impressed by the very thorough recycling station in the Food Studio, and the presence of a nursing station set up near the kids' Discovery Gallery.

Final Tips:

• Young kids enjoy the hands-on experiences best. If you have your heart set on checking out the look-but-don't-touch artifact cases, alternate them with more active displays, or divide and conquer if you have another adult to trade off with. By the end of the day, even the most amazing items can lose their appeal, as demonstrated by this conversation with my four year old:

Maggie: When can we go to the other room? This is boring!
Me: Uh, when you say "boring", are you referring to this authentic Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton?
Maggie: Yeah! Can we go back to the sandbox now?

T Rex. I know, yawn.

• You can buy your tickets online to avoid long waits to purchase admission.
• Consider arriving later in the day if your kids' schedules can handle it. The lobby was almost empty when we left at 2:30 (open til 5:30 6 days a week), and I know there are big discounts for Fridays after 4:30 (open til 8:30).

Note to teachers: there are way too many curriculum connections at the ROM to list, but since listing is one of my favourite pastimes: Plants, Animals, Habitats and Communities, Medieval Times, Ancient Civilizations, First Nations Peoples, Space, and that's only scratching the surface.

Disclosure: My family received admission for review purposes. Opinions, as always, are my own. Oh, and we didn't have to wait in line to get in. (Wouldn't have felt like full disclosure without mentioning that.)