How men navigate the passage to parenthood Dan Bortolotti Steve English admits to having been nervous before his daughter, Pascale, was born in February. “I was terrified at the prenatal class when I had to pick up a doll,” says the first-time dad from Toronto. “I was thinking, ‘I’m going to...

Dads who are informed about breastfeeding are better able to support their partner Once that due date is circled on the calendar, moms-to-be start to learn about breastfeeding from their health care providers, books and magazines, and talking with friends. That means they’re usually aware of the possible...

By Karan Smith 1. What do you mean I don’t qualify? Paid baby leave is basically an Employment Insurance (EI) gig, so you have to qualify before you get a cent. You need to have worked at least 600 insured hours in the last 12 months (or since your last mat leave or unemployment claim). Generally,...

Confused about maternity leave benefits? We’ve got everything you need to know to make the most of your time away from work by Dayna Boyer So your baby is on his or her way, and it’s time to start arranging your maternity leave. In Canada maternity leave is made up of two segments, maternity...

By Catherine Gaunt, Nursery World, 23 December 2009 Childcare workers are worth on average nearly ten times what they earn, a new report by think-tank the New Economics Foundation suggests. The study, called ‘A Bit Rich’, calls for a new way of looking at the value of work, beyond how...

“When I first asked my mother to move her answer was a definite ‘No!’” Lynn D. remembers. “To her leaving her home meant abandoning her life, including the memory of her time with my father. Even though I believe the change was absolutely for the best, I couldn’t force her to leave that memory....

“Will I forget my family members and loved ones as I grow older?” “Is there a way to stop the memory loss—forgetting names or why I went to the grocery store—that I’ve begun to experience?” “Am I destined to lose memory as I age?” These questions strike at the heart of the most terrifying...

Being an educator, appropriate developmental and educational toys for my toddler are important to me. Here are a few of my phonics/language arts, geography and science recommendations. Refrigerator Phonics Learning I love these refrigerator learning systems. My daughter perfected her abc’s and...

1. My hands are small. Please don’t expect perfection whenever I make a bed, draw a picture or throw a ball. My legs are short. Please slow down so that I can keep up with you. 2. My eyes have not seen the world as yours have. Please let me explore safely. Don’t restrict me unnecessarily. 3....

Some change in memory is normal as we grow older, but the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease are more than simple lapses in memory. People with Alzheimer’s experience difficulties communicating, learning, thinking and reasoning — problems severe enough to have an impact on an individual’s work,...