New Parent 101: How to Stay Well-Rested with an Infant

October 20, 2018 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

It’s been a long time since I had a baby in the house, and I have to admit I had forgotten just how exhausting having a baby was when I gave birth to my new little bundle of joy.

As cliché as it sounds, I actually fell asleep in a bowl of cereal one morning! My husband was just as exhausted, sitting across from me at the table. We laughed and decided then and there that there had to be a way to get more rest.

Parenting is tiring…there’s just no way around it! But if you’ve got a new baby in the house and spend most nights in and out of bed wondering how much DO newborns sleep, these tips will help you get a little more rest when you need it!

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

You don’t need to do this alone. You and your partner shouldn’t feel like you can’t ask for an extra hand as you adjust to life as a parent. You know the expression: it takes a village! So, call on your village. You’ll be surprised how happy your friends and family will be to help. [Read more…]

It’s Time to Give Yourself a Parenting Break! Embracing the Real Side of Parenthood

November 30, 2016 by Kathryn 17 Comments

Parenting is tough, but it gets even tougher when we spend too much time comparing ourselves to our own ideal image of what a perfect parent should be. And as much as I love social media, I also know that a constant barrage of perfect images can be discouraging to those of us doing our best every day! That’s why I love Quaker Canada’s new campaign to #stopCOMPAREnting. It’s time to show the real side of parenting in all its disorganized, wild and wacky glory! So I’ve decided to embrace some of the ways that I will always fall short of reaching my own parenting ideals. These are four reasons I’ll never be a perfect parent…and I’m okay with that!

1) I will not create perfectly balanced, Pinterest-worthy lunches.

bento lunch — Photo credit to my good friend Jody at Mommy Moment, who makes the most beautiful Bento lunches!

I have two boys in school five days a week, which means I pack just under 400 lunches in the course of a year. And I am a little ashamed to admit that I’ve probably ogled twice as many beautiful, themed Bento lunches on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram. From checkerboard cheese to rainbow fruit kababs…who wouldn’t want to surprise their kids with a masterpiece like that? But let’s get real. I have just over an hour each school morning to make breakfast, make lunches, get my boys dressed, check agendas and get everybody out the door. They’re happy with a wrap, some fruit and a Quaker granola bar, so I am too! [Read more…]

How to Help Your Kids Express Themselves

September 29, 2016 by Kathryn 1 Comment

As adults, we often joke about wanting to be a kid again, but the truth is it can be hard to navigate childhood. They desperately want to be older and do things that are out of their reach, and processing their feelings when we turn them down can be difficult. They have so many emotions but don’t always have the maturity to know what to do with them. You don’t have to be a therapist to help. As parents, we have can learn many ways to help kids express themselves in a positive way. Read on for more!

Take Them on a Trip

This might sound weird, but road trips can work magic for getting your child to really open up and talk. Consider taking them to see something fairly educational, like these three monuments, the Grand Canyon, or the White House. Family trips are something they will value for years to come, and the stories they create about them are even better. They’ll also be able to write about them in school and, of course, writing is another form of self-expression. If you can’t get a road trip on the calendar any time soon, simply ask them questions while you’re driving them in the car. There’s something about the lack of eye contact that allows them to feel free to say what they mean. Turn down the music! [Read more…]

Top Three Ways to Spend Time Outside with Your Baby this Summer #MomTrust

May 27, 2014 by Kathryn 31 Comments

Maybe it’s because I live in a province that’s known for harsh winter weather, but as far as I’m concerned, there is nothing more wonderful than being outside once warm weather has arrived in Saskatchewan. In fact, for the last two weekends I’ve been in the back yard relaxing in a lawn chair reading almost from dawn until dusk!

While my boys are usually outside with me as well, they spend those sunshine-filled hours playing on the swing set, jumping on the trampoline or running through the sprinkler. But even when they were younger, I found plenty of ways to have fun outside with them. This month, the Playtex Mom Trust asked me to share a few of my favourite outdoor activities with infants and toddlers. If you have a baby in the house, these are my top three ways to have fun outside with your baby this summer!

baby boy in stroller — Baby Zackary relaxing in his stroller at just a month old!

Get Walking

Not only is walking great exercise, it’s a chance for your little one to see more of the world around him. Even a simple walk around the block exposes a baby to new sights, sounds and smells that help expand his knowledge of the world. I used to make a daily trip to the post office each day pushing my baby in the stroller, with occasional longer walks to run errands or visit the park. He loved relaxing in his seat in the shade as we walked! [Read more…]

Share Your Parenting Advice and You Could Be the Next Playtex Mommyville Mom of the Month

July 2, 2013 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

There are so many amazing moms in Canada and for all of 2013, Playtex Mommyville has been celebrating those special women with the Mom of the Month program. Each month, Canadian mothers can visit the Playtex Mommyville Facebook page and fill out a quick questionnaire about some of their parenting ideas and favourite moments with their children.

After that, the team at Playtex Mommyville will choose one fabulous mother as the Mom of the Month. Her picture and advice will be featured on the Playtex Mommyville Facebook Page for the month! [Read more…]

Life Coach Caird Urquhart Shares Five Tips To Keep Your Kids Out of Her Office When They’re in Their Twenties

March 19, 2013 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

I had the pleasure of meeting life coach Caird Urquhart at a press event last October and I was very impressed by her down-to-earth approach to life, work and family. We chatted recently and she very generously agreed to share her knowledge with Mommy Kat and Kids readers through this fabulous article. We all want our children to grow up to be confident, independent adults. Here are Caird’s top five tips for making that happen!

caird urquhart photo

1. Be a mother not a friend

Too often I see parents bend over backwards to be “liked” by their children. Let’s not confuse like with love. To be a loving parent doesn’t always mean you need to be liked. I remember when I was little I had a friend whose mom would let us do whatever we wanted. We even got to draw on the walls in one room in their house. At that time I thought how lucky she was to have such a cool mom. Fast forward ten years. I ran into her one night at a then common teenage hangout and found out she was living in a home for wayward youth. That was the first time I was glad my mother hadn’t been my friend growing up. The kicker for me on this subject came more recently when I was discussing with someone whether they should buy alcohol for their 17-year-old daughter. She wanted to take something to a party she was going to. Since when did being a parent equate with dropping off little brown bags to your kids? I’m no prude but I draw the line on breaking the law as a way to win over your child’s affection. [Read more…]