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Halloween Safety Tips

holidays, kids By Jill Amery October 14, 2019 56 Comments

I remember as a little girl – saving all of the ‘used-almost-to-the-bottom’ candles for the whole year to use for Hallowe’en. Our jack o’ lanterns would house a cornucopia of bright red and gold Christmas candles and a few yellow Easter ones. I would be a bit rattled that my beautiful pumpkin was getting red wax dripped all over, and then completely dejected that whenever I passed my own house (as I was doing the neighborhood candy marathon) the pumpkin would be dark. A gust of wind had just spoiled a child’s excitement at boasting artistic achievements to her friends. I’d quickly apologize and run up to grab a lighter or matches. And I can’t remember being anything other than a princess in chiffon so that + matches was clearly a bad idea…

Jill Amery

Jill Amery is a mom of 2 small boys and the Publisher of UrbanMommies, a stylish digital lifestyle magazine filled with fitness, style, health, recipes and savvy mom advice to help you through pregnancy, birth, and raising your kids.

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Helping Elderly Parents Thrive

FAM, health By Jill Amery October 9, 2019 No Comments

I wish it were 2018. If this were last fall and I had known more about the flu vaccine for seniors, I would have done things differently. When my mom died unexpectedly on Christmas morning, the reasons why were unclear. What was 100% evident is that I thought of her as living for years to come. She was the master of her home. Vibrant. Feisty. Perhaps it was child-like denial, but I didn’t know how unwell she was. Sadly, I hadn’t yet researched the myriad of special solutions for seniors that can help maintain good health.

Jill Amery

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Is My Tween Ready For A Cell Phone?

FAM, kids By Guest October 7, 2019 Tags: cell phone, featured, mobile, questions, school, smartphone, social media, teen, toys, tween, tweens 4 Comments

My tween wants a cell phone. Correction, she wants a cell phone that allows her to text, play games online, send emails and lastly, make phone calls. Yesterday, she told me that more and more of the girls in her class (We’re talking 4^th grade folks!) are getting cell phones for their 10^th birthdays. She doesn’t want to wait a year. She wants one now. The question is, is my tween ready for a cell phone?

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5 Hilarious Signs Your Kid Might Be Using Your Phone Too Much

FAM, tech By Guest September 28, 2019 No Comments

We’ve all handed our phones over to quiet down an antsy child in line. Sometimes the easiest answer is the right answer in the moment and a little Candy Crush never hurt anyone. The ends justify the means, no judgement here. We totally get it. While a little bit of screen time isn’t the end of the world, kids often fall in love with their parents’ mobile devices and it can spell (humorous) trouble. Here are five hilarious signs your kid might be using your phone just a little bit too much:

Guest

Yoga with Toddlers : Tips for Connecting Mommy Time with Baby Time

fitness, health, kids, nourish, play, self, Uncategorized By VanessaHeron September 24, 2019 1 Comment

I know every word to the theme song for Paw Patrol. I can recite Goodnight Moon forwards, backwards, upside down, and inebriated. I spend the majority of my days creating with play dough, kicking balls, singing nursery rhymes, and playing make believe games with plastic toys. There are a myriad of reasons behind my participation in all of these activities, the most important being that they interest my children. I repeat. They interest my children. When the sun goes down and the babies are tucked in to bed, you will not find me re-reading Goodnight Moon for the kajillionth time. As it turns out, I have a few interests of my own and none of them involve pups who save the day.

VanessaHeron

Vanessa is a wife and mother to two littles. She is a school counsellor by day, a blogger at Like Mother Like Daughter by night, and occasionally dabbles in freelance during naptime. Her favourites include all things pop culture, strong cups of coffee, and full nights of sleep.

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8 Ways Aging Has Made Me Better

beauty, fitness, self By Renee Robbins September 17, 2019 2 Comments

I try not to think about it, this aging business. It’s not easy. You think that the shock, after that first time you are called “Ma’am”, or when you realize the cute guy at the gym isn’t hitting on you (he’s trying to help you because you remind him of his mom) will wear off, and you won’t be quite as sensitive. You think that your skin will get thicker and you won’t notice. But you’re wrong.

Renee Robbins

Writer. Kamikaze Mom. Participation Trophywife. Trying to achieve a balance of principal and practice without shouting obscenities at too many people.

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Smells Like Tween Spirit

FAM, kids By Renee Robbins August 26, 2019 6 Comments

Who solves a Rubik’s cube in under a minute, yet can’t figure out how to turn his clothes right-side out before they go in the hamper?

Who takes 3 showers a day but can’t remember to grab a towel before he goes in?

Who smells like feet and used car salesmen?

My son. My son does.

Renee Robbins

Writer. Kamikaze Mom. Participation Trophywife. Trying to achieve a balance of principal and practice without shouting obscenities at too many people.

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Why should you teach your teen to negotiate? Negotiation is a skill that is useful at home and will serve them their entire lives.

Six Steps to Teach Your Teen to Negotiate Successfully

FAM, kids By Guest August 22, 2019 Tags: parenting, role model, teenagers 1 Comment

Why should you teach your teen to negotiate? Negotiation is a skill that is useful at home because it helps keep the line of communication open between you and your child, and makes them feel heard and like their opinions matter.

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Welcome to Toddler Hell, Population: You.

baby, FAM, Featured, grow, kids, LIVE By Jorrie Varney August 19, 2019 No Comments

The change in my son’s behaviour was so gradual I almost didn’t realize what was happening. At first, I wrote it off as a bad day. I explained his emotional meltdowns as tiredness or hunger—I know how a guy can get when he needs a taco.

One bad day turned to two, and two turned into a week. Before I knew it we were living a new normal. An emotionally unhinged, can-other-kids-possibly-be-like-this normal.

So here I am today, writing from Toddler Hell, where the red cup is never blue enough and shoes are evil feet-demons.

Jorrie Varney

Jorrie is a registered nurse and mom of two, who aspires to own furniture without stains and shower without an audience. She writes about the joy and hilarity of raising children, on her blog Close to Classy. You can also find her work on Scary Mommy, Mamapedia and Mamalode. Follow her on Facebook,Twitter and Instagram.

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Tips To Make Travelling With Kids on Long Trips Easier

FAM, International, kids, ROAM By Puneeta Chhitwal-Varma August 15, 2019 Tags: jet lag, overseas travel, travel tips 3 Comments

Travelling with kids is a chore, there’s no disputing that. Fortunately even relatively “quick jaunts,” like Toronto to LA, can be made easy if one goes prepared with electronic devices and snacks. But the longer trips? Ones to far off countries? Those are a different story.

Puneeta Chhitwal-Varma

Puneeta lives in Toronto with her husband and two kids, and loves the colour her Indian roots bring to her life in Canada! You can find her at MapleandMarigold.com where she writes about family, food, kids, and how to make every day enjoyable, healthy, and delicious.

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When Jill Amery started publishing UrbanMommies in 2008, she wanted to create a place where the urban parent could be cared for and nurtured, so that they would be able to deliver their best selves to their family and passions. Since then, UrbanMommies has reached millions of moms with stories about travel, fashion, parenting, pets and family cuisine. Jill has created a community of moms who understand that if they are at their best, then everyone around them is as well.