Healthy Life Lessons

I live with 3 cereal monsters. Adam eats oatmeal every day and likes to snack on cold cereal. The kids like eating cold cereal any time of day. So when Nature's Path offered us samples of the products, I knew this family would be happy to oblige. If you have ever set food in a health food store than you are probably familiar with Nature's Path cereals. All their products are organic and the company is committed to sustainability. As soon as the kids saw the Sunrise Crunchy Vanilla they were excited, even though I don't recall ever buying them that variety before. They devoured the whole box quickly, eating it mostly as a snack by the handful. The 3rd ingredient is sugar, so it is definitely a treat (6g per serving), but at least it is high in fibre. The Heritage flakes are a more adult cereal, but the kids liked them too (5g sugar per serving and even higher in fibre. Before they could get too far into the box, however, I used the rest to make Covered Katie's Butterfi...

I had an interest in counselling from an early age and looking to explore it a bit in high school, I got requested from my school permission to get a credit for tutoring other students. The experience for me was wonderful and I learned a lot of important lessons. One lesson was that a child's home environment has a massive impact on a child's academic potential. I remember one student, a girl several years younger than me, who I assisted, who was struggling with her classes. During our sessions together she admitted to me that she experienced physical and emotional abuse at home at the hands of her mother and step-father. This was so horrific to me. I remember coming home and asking my parents, "How can anyone in that situation be expected to succeed in school?" This poor girl had to think about how not to get the crap beaten out of her, so homework is not going to be a top priority. Of course, it takes more than just an emotionally and physically safe environm...

This recipe came about to use up 'party sandwich' bread (flat and crustless) Little A made me buy her. I should have known she wouldn't eat much of it. This has happened before with this bread (and a million other things). She says she wants to make party sandwiches but then we get home and she remembers she hates egg salad, tuna salad, etc., she makes a regular sandwich using it, remembers it's not ideal for that because the fillings tend to fall out, and then she leaves the rest over. Hence 15 minute cinnamon rolls. Since I abhor throwing away food, I decided I had to find another use for them and this was a total winner. And it really takes just 15 minutes! You don't need to measure anything. We made them in the toaster oven so you don't even need a real oven to make them. 15 Minute Healthier Cinnamon Rolls 4 slices 100% whole wheat party sandwich bread Butter or whatever facsimile you prefer Golden granulated monk fruit or coconut sugar Ground ...

Have you heard of emotional labour? It is the invisible labour done mostly by women to manage a family and household. It goes beyond just the physical tasks of cooking, cleaning, etc. and involves the planning involved in making meals, scheduling appointments, dealing with homework, registering kids for camp, activities, etc. Even in heterosexual couple-led households where men do a fair share of the housework, it is most often the women who do most, if not all, of the emotional labour. I am very lucky in that this is not the case in our household. Adam is more involved in the emotional labour of caring for our children and household than any other man I know, and probably takes on more than I do. But this is not the case for most of my friends nor my clients, and it can be a huge source of stress, frustration and resentment for women. The Manager Mom Epidemic , is a book that addresses the inordinate share of emotional labour women shoulder at home. I have to admit, I was q...

Though most of my counselling clients are dealing with the inability to conceive, many of them have been pregnant and experienced losses, everything from first trimester miscarriages to stillbirths, to their babies dying days or weeks after birth. There is no doubt that losing a child is one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. Expecting Sunshine , written by Alexis Marie Chute, chronicles the author's experience losing her second child immediately after birth due to tuberous sclerosis, a condition that causes tumors to develop within organs such as the heart, brain, kidneys, etc. Alexis and her husband, Aaron, discovered this during a routine ultrasound when they were 25 weeks pregnant, and were told that their son's condition was incompatible with life. I cannot imagine the devastation they experienced. Personally, however, like many of my clients who have found themselves in similar situations, I would have opted for termination. For me, carrying t...

Obviously my posting frequency has been declining precipitously in recent months. This is due to many other things being higher on the priority list. My counselling practice is pretty busy so that takes up a lot of my time. I am in the office 4 days a week and work from home 3 days a week doing Skype/phone counselling with clients. And then there is all the admin work (writing reports, sending invoices, receipts, record keeping, etc.), which I hate. April was Little A's 10th birthday. We threw her a rollerskating party with 16 of her friends. Big A also turned 13!! This month has been particularly busy because in June Big A has all her dance recitals, and Little A was in a production of The Lion King at school. In addition, we just had Big A's Bat Mitzvah this past weekend. This is the biggest event we planned since our wedding back in 2002! For some reason, it felt much more stressful than planning our wedding though. In any case, it was wonderful. But I really am g...

Looking for something fun to do in the Greater Toronto Area tomorrow? Why not attend a wonderful event the whole family will enjoy that also benefits kids with cancer? Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children is hosting a HUGE family fun event in support of SickKids this Saturday May 11th. It’s happening at Markham Fairgrounds, rain or shine as it is an indoor event. There will be several well known kids performers:  Fred Penner, The Thrillusionists, Marlowe & the MiX, Girl Pow-R and so many more. There will also be Food Trucks, Vendors, Face Painting, Fun Kids Creative activities, treats, auction, raffles and a day of fun for everyone! There is a special discount code if you go to www.funtastical.ca and use the code FUN33 to save. Tickets are affordable - $15 per ticket and the more you buy the more you save. So check it out and feel good by helping kids in need and a wonderful pediatric hospital, one of the best in North America!

As consumers become more aware of the potential harm of standard cleaning products to our health and to the environment, the demand for better options is growing. We purchase mostly green and non-toxic products and our cleaning service that comes every other week use mostly vinegar and baking soda. Parents, in particular, are usually concerned about the cleaning and self-care products in their homes because of how it may affect their children (who tend to crawl all over, touch everything and eat off the floor!). Strong scents and toxic fumes are also things people generally want to avoid. Recently, I was sent a number of products from Aleva Naturals to try. All of their products are non-toxic, vegan, organic and cruelty-free. Aleva Naturals produces baby care products, baby-safe household cleaners, and maternal care products. They sent me their Bottle & Dish Liquid in Water Lily scent, their fragrance-free Multi Surface Spray, Foaming Hand Wash in Water Lily scent, and ...

If you have boobs, you know how annoying it can be to be wearing an ill-fitting and/or uncomfortable bra. You would think it isn't that hard to find a good bra, but it definitely can be. Partly because there are a lot of bad bras out there, partly because every woman's body is different, and partly because women's bodies change so much over their lifetime. Since having my children, my bra size has changed countless times. Now I find my bra size changes each month depending on where I am in my menstrual cycle! Its very irritating and distracting to have a bra strap falling down, or something digging into your rib cage. I went to one of the fancy bra stores in our neighbourhood and I tried on a crazy comfortable bra. But when I saw the $200 price tag, I got my ass out of there. Considering I would need several to get me through between washes, and ideally a couple different colours, that was just not happening. Poor Big A also has a tough time. She is bigger than...

FEBRUARY IS HEART HEALTH MONTH! Time to think about taking care of your ticker and those of your loved ones. I am always trying to get my husband and kids to get excited about healthy food. Its often hit or miss. Most times Adam will like something if there is at least some meat in it, or chocolate (for desserts, of course). With the kids, its pretty unpredictable. Anything individually packaged, though horrible for the environment, seems to be more appealing to the girls, for some reason. So I was happy to receive some heart healthy samples to try. I was sent the following: Ceres Fruit Smoothies To Go (3 flavours) The minute I opening the box, the girls snatched up the smoothies. They were a bit hit. The girls guzzled them in seconds. I like that they have no added sugar, but they aren't that smoothie like, in my opinion, as I usually think of smoothies as having added protein and other nutrients. But I have no big issue with them eating pureed fruit. Especially when...

So here we are at the end of 2018 already. How was this year for you? I thought I would give you a bit more info about what's been going on around here. I haven't had much time to write personal posts. At this point, its been challenging for me to post even once a week. The reason for my lack of time is mostly good. My counselling practice really exploded this year. Because I am self-employed, and because I enjoy my work, its been tough to set limits though, so I find myself seeing clients, either in person or virtually/by phone often 7 days a week. I do get to set my own hours, and I never see more than 6 clients a day, but it is still pretty exhausting. Nevertheless, I couldn't be happier. I love my work so much and I feel so blessed to have a job that is on my terms and provides me with so much intrinsic satisfaction. I am still doing a lot of fertility/infertility counselling as well as couples counselling, CBT for anxiety and depression, and EMDR for trauma. I...

Its not often we can find some form of entertainment for the whole family to enjoy. The girls do not share the same musical tastes as Adam and I, who also don't always have the same taste in music. Moreover, I hate going to see live music period. Adam is the trooper who will accompany the kids to see their favorite performers. When it comes to movies, the girls rule the roost in this house. Adam and could probably count the adult movies we have seen since becoming parents on one hand. We generally only go to movie theaters so the kids can see something they want to see. Fortunately, kids movies/animations can occasionally be enjoyable for adults too these days. I am not much of a live theater fan, in general, but, again, if I am going, its typically because we are going to a show the kids want to see. I have less than zero interest going to see sporting events, so again, that is something Adam does with the girls. I have also taped out when it comes to the CNE (Canadian Na...

Shana Tova to all those celebrating Rosh Hashana today! Wow, the weather here in Toronto in nuts. Last week we hit a 70+ year record high and it felt like you could boil your blood within seconds of stepping outside, and today we woke up to rain and cool air. Frankly, I prefer the cool wet weather. The heat here this summer has been horrific! Summer may be over, but we are talking about mosquitos today. I have always hated mosquitos with a passion. Unfortunately, the feeling is not mutual. A room full of people and they always bite me. Sadly, this is not just an annoyance. I react rather violently to mosquito bites. Hot red welts develop and the itch from just one is enough to drive me completely insane. One of the many reasons I will NEVER be a camper. But staying in the city doesn't guarantee I won't get bitten by mosquitos. The stupid things are everywhere! So I was thrilled when I was offered a chance to review Thermacell's Patio Shield, a mosquito repellent ...

This past spring Big A turned 12 and Little A turned 9. Parenting is never easy, but I do feel its gotten less hard. Partially, its because the girls are older, and thankfully, within the past 6 months, they have FINALLY stopped fighting as much. They used to fight 24/7 and it drove Adam and I bonkers, so its a wonderful relief for us all. I have even witnessed moments of tenderness between them. Whoa, I thought I might never see the day! Bit A graduated from Grade 6 and is heading to middle school in the fall, but she is very mature for her age, and as you can see, also looks much older than she is: People often mistake her for being anywhere from 15-18! I guess its good that she also behaves like an older kid...sometimes! But she really has come a long way this past year. She is obsessed with music and sports (like her dad), does extremely well academically, and is a free thinker. She is confident but likes to spend time alone. If she isn't playing basketball with boys in...

I have always adored board games. As a kid I played Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit, Clue and Scrabble regularly with my family. As I got older I became hooked on games like Pictionary, Scattergories, Taboo, Cranium, etc. In fact, as often as possible I would invite friends over for game nights and Adam and I once hosted a board game New Year's Eve party (long before kids!). The girls love them too and we've amassed a good collection. Unfortunately, I work a lot on weekends, so its usually Adam and the girls who play them. We always prefer getting the girls playing a board game instead of doing anything on a device! Board games are a great way to hang out as a family. Recently we were sent 2 new ones to try out, and that's just what Adam and the kids did over March break. The first, Rubik's Race, was new to Adam and I but the girls had played it before and already were fans. Essentially, you shake the Scrambler to create a Rubik's pattern and then slide the...

Summer. Oh summer. While it might be the time of year kids can't wait for, its often a parent's nightmare. If your kids are of school age, then they will have, or soon will, get bored of daycare and you will have to look for other options for your little ones. We still have to work, after all! In Toronto, getting your kids into their desired camps has become a blood sport. You have to show up early and on a mission. Otherwise, everything will fill up before you have a chance to fill out a registration form. Even if you have the whole sign up thing aced, if your kid is picky, you can end up struggling to find a camp he/she will enjoy. Well now there is a new, unique option for kids in Toronto, SPFX Kids Camp ! It teaches kids aged 9-13 all about special effects makeup, something I think most kids would totally dig (my kids will tell me dig is a lame term no one uses any more, but I don't care!). SPFX Kids has been created by Misty Fox, a model, single mom, and celeb...

Its almost a cliche to say, but, man did summer ever fly by! My counselling practice was pretty busy all summer, which is fantastic, but also means I just cannot devote more time to posting here 😢😢 But I really can't complain, its been good. The girls were in camp almost the entire time. Mostly Harbourfront Kids Camp, but Little A also did a week of sleepaway camp, and loved it. She wants to go for a month next year. We gotta start saving now!! Both girls also went to Kingston and stayed with my parents last week. So last week was really the summer holiday for Adam and I. No driving the girls anywhere, no preparing food for them, no listening to them fighting...it was glorious! Tomorrow Big A starts grade 6 and Little a starts grade 3. I am probably more nervous than they are. There will be more homework, and so many extracurriculars, that just thinking about coordinating everyone's schedules makes my head hurt! Big A insisted on having us sign her up for 4 different...

Any parent knows it can be a real challenge to get nutritious food into kids. So when Baby Gourmet offered to send me their new Shakers nutrition supplement for kids aged 1 and older, I thought it might be a great idea. They generously sent us 16 bottles of them, half vanilla, and half chocolate! The best way to describe it is its basically "Ensure" for kids. Unfortunately, that is not a compliment. You know, that's the meal replacement they often give seniors or people lacking appetite, that is essentially chemicals and sugar with added vitamins. Shakers are not nearly that bad, but my basic criticism is the second ingredient is SUGAR (after whole milk)! For that reason, I would never buy these for my kids, and I certainly would never have bought them when the girls were toddlers. Like couldn't they sweeten them with banana puree or something? Sure, the sugar is organic, but who gives a crap? Its still sugar. The girls certainly liked them. Big A liked bo...

One of the first things I'd do if I won a lottery, is high someone to exclusively prepare the kids' meals. I'd cook my own, because I love cooking, but not for them. They drive me effin crazy daily with their pickiness, and Big A, in particular, changes her mind dramatically about what she likes and doesn't like on a dime. I try not to worry, but their diets suck. Little A avoids veggies at all costs.  And Big As is way too heavy on sugar and carbs. Its even worse now that she has an allowance and is old enough to walk to a store and buy stuff on her own. I know I am not alone. Many parents struggle with this stuff and its tough. One debate among parenting experts is whether or not its a good idea to hide veggies and fruit in other foods to get your kids to eat them. Some people think its better to try and serve them to your kids a hundred times until they decide they like them. I don't really know why this has to be an EITHER/OR thing. Its never been ...

THE GIRLS' ANSWERS By Little A:                                                    By Big A:                                                           Erica Berman                                                   Erica 42                                                                      43 (not yet!) Black hair, green eyes                         ...