Spoiler alert: everyone’s going to be OK
If you’re the parent or caregiver of a toddler or preschooler, you might be wondering how the past 16 months of relative isolation has affected them. For many kids, the pandemic shut down their opportunities to interact with peers and increased their screen time. It has also disrupted family routines, increased anxiety among many caregivers…
Missing marriages, empty baby carriages
Wedding industry vendors are reporting a boom in bookings – or at least south of the border according to the Associated Press. Couples who waited out the pandemic are booking their big day, as are those who married during the pandemic but are now planning celebrations with family and friends. The increased bookings are likely…
"Disappointment" doesn’t describe the feeling of being sidelined after a broken collarbone
Troy Media publisher Doug Firby and travel editor Lisa Monforton are part of a group of Canadians who call themselves ConnecTour. Starting in May in British Columbia and ending in October in Newfoundland, they hope to make an 8,000-km bicycle journey across the country, discovering how the COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped our lives and our…
The simple answer is no
Providing quality care for preschool children is a good thing. Children learn to socialize in groups beyond their family. They acquire the skills and readiness that will allow them to succeed in elementary school and later in life. With children well looked after, all parents are free to take jobs or pursue careers contributing to…
Each parent wants what is best for their child, but their version of what that is tends to differ
When a child is diagnosed with a terminal illness, it changes the family dynamic. For parents, it is devastating news, and regardless of the outcomes, they will never be the same again. These parents are expected to make difficult medical decisions about treatment for their child. However, they often don’t have the mental or emotional…
The invigorating power, money and control involved in running a business can cause evil decisions
In early 2000, I had to fire my wife from our startup business. The business was struggling and my wife was involved in running one of the departments part-time, between looking after our kids and working as a counsellor. Sales in the department and the store as a whole weren’t going as expected and we…
Believing you can't do something won't get problems solved. Find a way if you truly want a happy life
“I can’t manage everything by myself anymore ... I’m completely stressed out! From being responsible for all the meal planning to childcare responsibilities to cleaning the house, there’s no romance, no time for friends, no time to read. Something has to give.” These were the first words spoken when I sat down with one of…
Sandra, 69, continues to run the antique store even though she lost her beloved husband Rich three years ago
Troy Media publisher Doug Firby and Travel editor Lisa Monforton are part of a group of Canadians who call themselves ConnecTour. tarting in May in British Columbia and ending in October in Newfoundland, they hope to make an 8,000-km bicycle journey across the country, discovering how the COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped our lives and our…
Januel Ibasco kept his goals in sight despite the deaths of his mother and grandmother, and was inspired to explore his Filipino roots
The traditional Indigenous game of Back Push sees two competitors seated on the ground back-to-back with their arms locked. The object is to stand up together but push your opponent out of a designated area. The goal of a children’s version of the contest is to simply communicate and lean on each other so that,…
For Alicia Cardinal, attending the U of A was the fulfilment of a childhood ambition and a way to honour her dad’s memory
Many educators say they knew from an early age what they’d be when they grew up, but Alicia Cardinal says she knew from age four where she would go to school to become a teacher. Her father, a University of Alberta graduate, teacher and principal at First Nation schools around Alberta, would bring her to…