playdate

2007 In Review

It's the end of my first (partial) year here at Mommy Blogs Toronto, and like many places, I'm going to take a look back at the year that was, at least through the eyes of Daditorial.

Pumpkinpie's Picks for December

I haven't shared our reading list for a while now, so what better way to celebrate the sharing and the warmth of the season than by inviting you to join us in our Story Chair? Here are some of the top picks from our December storytimes.

We have been, for one thing, really into the Christmas books, which are found on this list. But we have also been reading some standards, some old favourites of mine, and a few newer hits.

Slutty shoes and the spirit of Christmas

Every family has its unique holiday traditions; time-honored customs and rituals which mark the season and each year symbolize for its members the very spirit of whatever holiday they celebrate.

In some homes mothers and daughters trade Christmas recipes or craft ornaments. In my family, mom and I bond over the sacred, annual gifting of the slutty shoes.

Imaginary Friends

Like Calvin has Hobbes, children sometimes have imaginary friends. It can freak parents out, a child talking about someone who isn't there, about things their "friend" said, because let's face it - we want our children to have imagination, but where is the line between that and, say, voices? Relax, it's pretty common. And a helpful tool for them, too - I had imaginary friends to play games with, as an only child, and I turned out okay (hush up, you over there!).

But how do we handle it? Indulge them? Ignore it? Tell them not to be silly? How about asking them to let us in on their imaginary world, so we can get a sense of what's going on in there? After all, their minds are pretty interesting. You will, no doubt, be shocked to hear I have a few stories about imaginary friends that might be nice shared reading, but also just might open up the discussion for you.

Review of Dadditude

Cross-posted from Reviews From The Dad Side.

You know, last month when I first decided to start accepting products for review, I wrestled with how to handle writing a review for something I hated. I did not want to lie, and so it plagued me (and still does). Today, I am faced with the opposite problem: how do I tell you about something I completely love without coming across as a shill.

Late last month, Phil Lerman contacted me via email and offered me a free copy of his book, Dadditude, for review. I was a little hesitant, because I am not the type to read parenting books (just ask my wife, who often tries to get me to read small sections of the numerous tomes she has, only to have me tell her to "give me the gist"), but in the end I accepted.

Holiday Stories to Share

I love a good holiday book. What makes a good holiday book for me? Well, I am not into sharing religious stories at the library, so if the rare occasion arises for me to read a holiday book, I like to keep it as secular as I can. It's the same at home, really, because I'm just not ready to discuss the other business with Pumpkinpie quite yet. So for me, I like stories about sharing and giving and goodwill, or else fun, silly stuff. I enjoy a classic Santa tale, too. And as always, I love illustrated books of songs to sing with her.

For those that would like a nativity story, there are lots of lovely ones around. There is a beautiful, simple one by Dick Bruna, an old standby by Tomi DePaola, and a new one out last year that was simple enough that even I took it home. (Room for a Little One, by Martin Waddell, with gorgeous, luminous illustrations by Jason Cockcroft. It tells the tale of the animals coming to the barn and welcoming the title's "little one.")

I would also note that yes, I am sticking to Christmas here. While I put out a nice selection of many holidays at the library, I don't think I'm really qualified to talk about which stories are good ones for lots of holidays. For starters, I will leave Hannukah to Mamaleh, who has a nice post up to start the celebrating. Shalom, Mamaleh!

Strangled By Her Father

One of the big news items in the GTA this week is the death of Aqsa Parvez at the hands of her father, who has been charged with murder.  (Her older brother has also been charged with obstruction since he impeded the investigation.)  As the story developed, more details begain to surface.  Her friends said that she was abused, and that she tried to leave home because of the abuse and the strict Muslim upbringing her parents were employing.  According to various reports, the girl was strangled by her father because of a domestic dispute that originated with her refusal to honour the Qur'anic obligation of modesty (in this case, she refused to wear a hijab or head scarf), and to follow more western customs instead of those her family followed.

A Little Imagination Goes a Long Way

by Racy Red

It was just a typical night, I was surfing the web while the husband clutched the remote tightly and flicked through the channels. Occasionally we'd ask one another a question, never really paying attention to the answer or looking at one another. Having lived together for almost half of our life spans, there is very little romance left under this roof.

And on the eighth day, it was over.

Chanukah oh Chanukah
...come light the menorah...
Let's have a party...
...we'll all dance the hora...
Gather round the table, we'll give you a treat...
Sevivon to play with, and latkes to eat!

It's about tradition. Making new traditions, keeping old traditions.

Problems In Ontario Family Courts

There is a shortage of family court judges in Ontario. With too few judges to hear cases, many hearing dates are pushed back either because there is no judge available to hear the case or the assigned judge is too busy. Unfortunately, just because the case goes unheard does not mean the lawyer costs disappear. This lack of judges is costing the people in family court thousands of dollars each time their case is adjourned, and in many cases, these are people who are not in a financial situation to be paying additional legal fees.