It’s that time of year again, when taxes are looming and we keep hearing about deadlines to invest! Most people say RESPs are the way to go in terms of saving for your child’s education, but that’s not necessarily the case. In fact, there are many different ways to save for your child’s education and RESPs are just one of the vehicles. My answer to the question is always, “It depends.” It depends on how much money you want to put away, what expenses you currently have, how much free cash you have on a monthly basis, what tax bracket you’re in … and the list goes on. Here are some options for you to save money for your child’s education.
I am in love with halloween. All holidays, actually but especially this one. Growing up with lots of rules and protocol, this was the time I could be something totally different. As a little girl I chose to be a variation of a princess almost every year, except the one time I was a Pink Lady with a poodle skirt. (Don’t worry, I’m currently reading Glennon Doyle’s ‘Untamed’ and it certainly makes a ton of sense.) As I mature, I can stand for a few spookier, more intellectual Halloween exploits. Here are a few spooky Halloween activities for you to enjoy in cities across Canada.
Summer fun happens in the pool. For all the fun that happens there, pool safety for kids is really important. Keeping safety in mind is the best way to avoid joining the scary statistics around drowning. The dangers of pools and swimming shouldn’t be overlooked. We’ve compiled some handy tips so you can enjoy the summer fun.
If you have pre-teens or teenagers, you are probably facing the issues that come along with cell phones. Texting may be at the top of the list! Life isn’t as simple as it used to be when we were children…there are new tools of communication that have become the new lifelines, but, unfortunately, along with these gadgets come issues. Setting boundaries with your kids about texting is important as a parent.
Ethan refuses to get out of the car as he arrives at the hockey rink… Sophie arrives for her ballet recital, but refuses to go up on stage… What do these children have in common? Anxiety.
Recently, we have been feeling so much pressure to register, to organize play dates, to structure. What about spontaneity? Learning through play? We have been soliciting ideas for fun, learning-enhancing activities that can be done with little or no cost. Pretend play offers young children a chance to practice skills within their own frame work and rules, letting them set the boundaries. You can always make suggestions if they need it but follow them, not the other way around.
After searching for the perfect nanny, how are you going to pay her? In determining the nanny’s status as an employee or as an independent contractor, the Canada Revenue Agency does the following tests:
1. Control: Are you specifying the work to be done? Are you specifying the working hours and are you reviewing the work that was done?
We always tend to do back to school at the last minute, and not because I’m lazy. It’s more that I can’t possibly bear to let go of summer.
It’s the first day of summer vacation and we are still on lockdown. What do the kids want to do? Game. It’s the BANE of my existence. We’ve been in self isolation for three months (but who’s counting). While we were fortunate that their school kept them in Zoom classes from 8:30-3:30 daily, it’s a whole new world now. I have this Mom-guilt thing, where gaming is never a problem if they have school or activities all day and want to ‘chill’ in the evening. But balancing it all can be an issue. The blessing is that they have been connecting with friends through gaming, but I feel as if I’m losing my own connection with them. Because I can’t beat them, I will try and join them – with Apple Arcade.
Summer is just beginning (though it totally feels exactly like the last three months, minus the home-schooling). While parents likely had a pre-pandemic line-up of activities ready to go to keep kids busy, not only are camps cancelled, but pricey day-camps and caregivers can squeeze an already tight budget. International and Canada-US travel is likely a no-go. Some provinces are still locked down, some require quarantine for 14 days when you get there, and others simply don’t want your ‘foreign’ license plate traipsing around their roads. Here’s the Canadian Government site on COVID, so you know where your province stands. And here are a few ideas for sticking closer to home, getting out in nature and saving some precious cash.
