Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Loblaw. As always, my words and opinions are all my own. EDIT: I originally published this post in 2017. At that time all of the information was current and correct. As of January 2019, the Kids See Free program appears to have been put on hold. Calling and speaking to my local Theodore & Pringle optical centre I was told that the … [Read more...]
Instagram: A Magical Window into My Daughter’s Kindergarten Classroom
When my eldest daughter started kindergarten I was a mess. I waffled back and forth on whether we would enroll her in Junior Kindergarten at all, and once she did start attending I was, predictably, a nervous wreck. I was dying to know the details of what she did all day, and she wasn't sharing. "You weren't there, so you can't know." she would say, looking at me with a puzzled … [Read more...]
Mon Petite Chat Angora
So, Rainbow has been practicing for this play that she's taking part in at school. We are not talking about the type of thing where they perform on stage in front of the whole school, or even where the parents are invited to come watch. Her class is just performing for one of the kindergarten classes. However, my girl has been taking this VERY seriously, practising her lines … [Read more...]
This Kid Plays Hard…
Here's what my kindergartener looks like at the end of the school day. That's not sunshine dappled across her jumper and leggings, that a fine coating of grey dirt. I send her off at the beginning of the day wearing barrettes, with tidy hair, a nice outfit, clean face and hands... And at the end of the day this filth monster steps off the bus coated head to toe in dirt and … [Read more...]
Rotten Santas, Tricky Elves, & Messy Decembers: Ho Ho No.
I've got really ambivalent feelings about this whole Santa thing. My oldest is only six and things are already getting messy. For example, why the heck did we add in Elf on the Shelf? It just complicates matters! I now I have fend off questions like, "Sally at school told me the elf isn't real. She doesn't have one at her house but she saw piles of them at the store. And mom, … [Read more...]
On Why I Hate School Days: Dealing With Miss “I Won’t Go”
I swear to myself that this morning is going to be different. I have set my alarm to wake me up 15 minutes earlier then usual. This morning we won't have to run to make it to the school bus in time. This morning everyone will eat breakfast and no one will cry or scream. My alarm goes off and I resist the urge to hit snooze. I pry myself out of bed to find one daughter … [Read more...]
Oliver’s Labels, Making Back to School Simple
Last year I didn't buy school labels for Rainbow. I had a hard time deciding if she should go into Junior Kindergarten, and our last minute enrolment didn't leave me much time to pre-plan for things you order ahead of time, like labels. It was a bit of a shock for me to find that the school expected us to label EVERYTHING. Water bottle? Cardigans? Running shoes? You've got to … [Read more...]
This Kid Is Ready to Learn!
Tomorrow my Rainbow starts Senior Kindergarten. Last year at this time I was having second and third thoughts about putting my daughter into Junior Kindergarten. In hindsight I wish I had stuck to my guns and kept her home. I still feel that full day Junior Kindergarten is too much for three and four year olds to handle. At four years old my daughter desperately needed an … [Read more...]
Back to School Tips from ABC Life Literacy Canada
School's starting back up, so it's time to start thinking about homework again. (And yes, even in Junior Kindergarten my G-Girl came home with the occasional project to work on!) Studies show that the more parent's get involved in their kids education the more their children's achievements in school improve. ABC Life Literacy Canada offers ten tips on how to make homework … [Read more...]
The Kindergarten Question…
School starts in a few weeks. My Rainbow turned four back in July. She is old enough to enter Junior Kindergarten. Whenever I think about it I get an upset stomach. Junior Kindergarten? Frankly, I don't want to do it. This has been bothering me for months now. Back in February we attended the Junior Kindergarten open house for the nearby public school. I thought it … [Read more...]