Here are a few psychological risks parents should look for
When people ask me what I think about youth sports today, I often say there’s “too much adult in youth sports.” When adults are heavily involved in youth sports, ego-and-greed-based decisions and activities are sure to be part of the environment. Win-at-all-costs (WAAC) and profit-at-all-costs (PAAC) mentalities and policies are increasingly part of the youth…
Students with daily activity requirements are physically and emotionally healthier and perform better academically
Josh Fullan is the executive director of Maximum City, a national education and engagement organization based in Toronto. He recently wrote a compelling opinion piece on the need for more physical education in schools for The Globe and Mail. Fullan outlines the physical, mental and academic benefits of regular exercise. He emphasizes the academic and…
Banning junk food advertising may have little effect on reducing obesity
A new study from the University of Alberta challenges the notion that advertising junk food is at the root of the obesity epidemic. Growing up in a low social-economic environment is more of a precursor to obesity later in life than junk food advertising, according to the report, with adults who grew up in a…
$10-a-day child care plan least efficient, most expensive and complex way to tackle affordability
The rising cost of living is doing a number on family budgets. In response, the federal government recently released its “affordability plan” that includes the previously announced child-care fee reductions under its Canada-wide $10-a-day plan. In May, some Ontario families had expected to see reduced child-care fees and a partial refund backdated to Apr. 1.…
When fathers are actively involved with their children, the children thrive
The first Father’s Day was observed in Spokane, Wash., on June 19, 1910. Since then, the role of a father has evolved to include greater participation in a child’s day-to-day life. According to the Library of Congress Wise Guide, Sonora Dodd gets the credit for the day on which we honour fathers. Dodd’s father –…
Its largest baby formula plant ships all its products to China
Parents of toddlers are concerned about baby formula shortages due to a combination of factors. A major recall in the United States affecting the top manufacturer of baby formula, coupled with supply chain challenges, has made things difficult for parents. In the U.S., some parents are driving hours just to get the right product for…
Subsidize parents instead
In order to increase access to daycare services, the Quebec government recently announced the creation of 14,000 new subsidized daycare spaces over the next two years. But with 51,000 children on the waiting list for subsidized child care, there is not a single space available. And despite the government's good intentions, even this modest increase…
Tax burdens and living costs prevent most intact parental couples from raising their children at home
What would be better – children conceived by random intercourse and raised by the state, or children raised by their parents in the same household? Plato, the Greek philosopher from ancient times, said the former; and whether we realize it or not, his philosophy has dragged public policy for decades. “Our men and women,” Plato…
Giving children the tools and skills to enter school with their “best foot forward
Despite what many first-time parents may wish for, kids don’t come with instruction manuals. Even seemingly straightforward developmental milestones, like when to introduce solid food, can vary across countries. And when it comes to language development, things get even more complicated. It can be challenging to gauge what is just a child’s creativity and what…
Learning doesn’t always need to happen sitting at a desk
We know that school kids spend too much time sitting at their desks. Now we have some evidence-based recommendations to counter that sedentary behaviour. They offer guidelines to educators, parents and caregivers to help school-aged children grow and thrive. “It kind of challenges traditional views of learning,” said Valerie Carson. “Learning doesn’t always need to happen sitting at…