Ask A Midwife – Top 5 Questions From Pregnant Women

Editor’s Note: Good Morning! It is with the greatest of pleasure that we launch the new Ask A Midwife column here on OBE with the midwives of Plum Midwifery joining us monthly to answer your questions about pregnancy and childbirth.
I’m honored to introduce you to Joanne Daviau, Amy Kelly, Emma Gledhill and Jessie Shannon, as [...]

Kids Rock – Music Lessons Are Not for Every Musician

Editor’s Note: Good morning. Bobby Herron is on site today talking shop about why music lessons work for some kids and not for others. Finding creative ways to help your kids learn all kinds of things is a bit of an art in and of itself. One that is different for everyone. Here he is:
Music instruction [...]

Helping Children With the Loss of a Grandparent

Editor’s Note: Good morning. The loss of loved ones is such a hard thing to talk about, especially with children. This morning Wendy Johnstone is hear to help us all learn a bit more about helping our children deal with the passing of a grandparent. Here she is:
I think it’s safe to say, “Death isn’t [...]

Mom-P-Inc. – The Attributes of an Entrepreneur

Editor’s Note: Good morning. Today we have local small business consultant Emma Payton back with us and taking a look at some of the characteristics that make successful entrepreneurs. You can find her first article on the myths and realities of self-employment HERE. Here’s Emma:

In the previous article in this series we explored some of [...]

Mindful Eating Roadblocks (Part 3)

Editor’s Note: The lovely and knowledgeable Esther Kane is with us today sharing tips from her latest book on practicing Mindful Eating. This is the third part of her Mindful Eating Roadblocks series. You can find the first two parts here – Part One & Part Two. Here’s Esther:

For this article, I will share with [...]

Preparing Kids for the 1st Day of School

Editor’s Note: Today we’ve got School District 71 teacher Marieke Holtkamp in the house talking shop about how to help your kiddos and yourself ready for the first day of school. Enjoy.

“Will my teacher be nice? Where will I sit? Will the other kids like me?”
Ah, back to school a time of excitement and anxiety [...]

Traditions for Long-Distance Grandparents

Editor’s Note: Today we have Wendy Johnstone discussing long-distance grandparenting. Here she is:
It’s been a flurry of activity and excitement for Carly around our house for the past 3 weeks.  (Actually, if any of you know me personally, there’s never a shortage of excitement and flurry in our house).  However, the charge in our house is [...]

Making of A Mom Entrepreneur – Life’s Work

Karen and I have had a running joke for the last couple of weeks that – when I didn’t show up at the Today Party yesterday (hope you all had the best time ever!) – that we’d tell everyone that I’d opted for a nap. But, we figured no one would believe us.:)

I am, actually, [...]

Summer Planning – Tips for Traveling with Kids

Editor’s Note: So, I woke up this morning, doing my normal morning thing, and hit 9:50 a.m., was in the middle of answering about 1.2 million e-mails, and realized I hadn’t posted yet today.
Some days…I feel like I need a brain transplant.

The good news is you don’t have me writing something unintelligible here today [...]

Where is The Love? Finding Time for Each Other

“It feels like I’m running a daycare with someone I used to date.” I’m not sure who the frustrated husband is who made this remark about parenting, but it really struck me and made me laugh.  I think the statement was particularly meaningful because I fell in love with my husband 13 years ago… at [...]

Lower Grocery Bills with Smart Food Planning

Editor’s Note: Sarah Stromquist is here this morning with her supermom advice (she’s amazing) on how to shop, cook and plan smart while keeping to a strict grocery budget.
That leads me to our Earth Day thought for the day.
Think local.
I know, I know. It’s all the rage. But there’s a good reason for it.
When you [...]

Parent Health – Managing Blasts From The Past

Many of my clients express confusion and concern about the new complexities of human relationships Facebook and other websites that have resulted from the advent of that make you easily accessible to the world, including people from your past.
I, personally, took myself off of Facebook after about two weeks precisely for this reason.
Clients often [...]

Mom-P-Inc. – Boundaries vs. Balance

Editor’s Note: Karen McKinnon is dropping by today to offer up her insight into life as a mom in business for herself.
If anyone can lend a hand in working the kinks out, it would be Karen. With her busy house, growing business and warm sensibility, she’s mastering the art of learning how to say [...]

To Nap or Not to Nap, the Drama

I don’t even remember what it was like to have our daughter nap on a regular basis.
The occasional act of God does occur, with her crashing for hours on end with no sign of waking while her go-go disposition refuels. But, when my friends who have 3+ year-old kiddos who are still napping in the [...]

Which Cloth Diaper to Choose?

Editor’s Note:
Comox Valley Mom Kathy Roberts is a cloth diaper convert.
In her quest to make life easy and non-disposable, she took it upon herself to test drive just about every type of cloth diaper out there, even making a few of her own.
Thankfully, I’m annoyingly persistent and she is incredibly generous, now sharing her cloth [...]

Summer Reading Together

Editor’s Note:
Mom and CV teacher Helen Oliphant has dropped by today to lend us a hand getting into the learning that happens away from the classroom this Summer.
She kicks it all off with tips on how to help your kiddos get reading, with a little help from mom and dad.

“Thurs. June 2, 1977.
I want to [...]

Making New Year’s Resolutions as a Family

I have one resolution this year, to make 2008 the year of the strong, healthy family.
For us, that means physically, emotionally, financially and socially. One very serious tall order that appears at least mildly overwhelming.
But, as an overall goal, I’m thinking it’s right on target. So, that’s what we’re going to focus on here [...]

Holiday Family Cooking with Kids

I am NOT the queen of the kitchen.
Growing up in a family of pretty darn great cooks, I never bothered doing much of it myself. It was something so much more beloved to other people. I happily watched while they created.
What I discovered years later, when I finally felt confident that our daughter could safely [...]

Dr. Carl Ivey – Family Holiday Survival

Campbell River parenting coach Dr. Carl Ivey is back today talking about ways to lower the stress factor around your house this holiday season.
I hate to say it. But, the grumpy season has officially kicked in. I was hoping it had skipped the Valley this year – folks had been all smiles and really enjoying [...]

Family Fitness – The No-Excuse Excuse

It seems so very appropriate that, on a day when the weather man reveals that we are supposed to get 50mm of rain and that crazy wind action that is a solid island Winter storm, Comox Valley Kids debuts its new Family Fitness column.
Once a month, local fitness expert, Vanier track coach and nationally-lauded running [...]

Dr. Carl Ivey – Effective Discipline: Gain, No Pain

Finally, Dr. Ivey’s debut.
I had the great opportunity to meet this retired pediatrician turned holistic parenting coach a while back and, over lunch, he changed our lives.
My husband and I had been struggling deeply with ever-increasing toddler behaviours that we plainly had no tools to cope with and it was really starting to effect [...]

Holiday Stress Busters

My parents are in town.
It’s all good, as they seldom make the 3,000-mile journey around the holidays. So, it’s a fantastic chance to hang out, tour the island and have one of those classic family moments that is the idyllic notion of Thanksgiving.
Oh, the expectations.
I don’t think I’m the only one around who busts out [...]

Mozart to Soothe the Savage Baby

There once was a rather charming, easy-going tiny person running around our house.
While other people coped with whining, meltdowns and fear-striking behaviour, our daughter was going along doing her thing wondering why some of the other kiddos were so upset.
In the last two weeks, something has snapped and the terrible twos have kicked in with [...]

The First Day of School – Parents Need Classes Too

With a mix of groans and cheers, I’m sure this morning was a bright and early one for you parents of school-aged children today.
Lots of excitement and mixed emotions, I’m sure.
Our youngest nephew launches into his school life today with his first Kindergarten class out at Miracle Beach Elementary and was just about ready to [...]