playdate

Scooped

Oh how I love my new red shoes.

So sleek, so sexy, so in keeping with the (slightly-deluded) image I have of myself as a diva extraordanaire.

Severe Tantrums May Indicate Depression

According to Andrew Belden of Washington University's school of medicine, out-of-the-ordinary temper tantrums may indicate a risk of depression in toddlers.  While some tantrums are a normal part of development, and are to be expected, more severe or prolonged episodes can suggest other, more significant mental or mood disorders.

I Like Pumpkin Soup

by Jana

I have a fondness for cheeky music. I don't shy away from accents thrown into pop sensibility. (Am I starting to sound like pompous music critic?) If Lily Allen and the Happy Mondays were having a child it would be Kate Nash.

Winter Wonderful

I am not a fan of winter, overall, because I loathe being cold. But I will give it this - it's beautiful, and makes for really magical picture books. The way it fuels a child's imagination, too, makes for great stories. So while I may not adore the season, I do love the literature.

New Year, New Mama

I thought that with it being the new year and all, I would try out something new to spice things up for my regular visitors (Hi Metro!  Hi Painted Maypole!  Thanks for reading!!). 

You see, I've got a bone to pick with John Q Public.  In my theatrical past, and while doing some random Google searches, I've come across a distressingly large number of people out there who think musical theatre is crap.  That it's not "real" theatre.  That you can't take it seriously because NOBODY breaks out into song in "real" life.  (Obviously, these people have never been to my house.  It happens all the time here.  Seriously.)  What's really annoying, though, is that this opinion is often held by actors as well.  The husband and I have both been in plays where we were looked down upon for having done musicals in the past.

A Culture Of Fear

An article from the Toronto Star discusses school safety in light of the School Community Safety Advisory Panel's report (summary available here) released this past week.  The report indicates that the TDSB is underfunded and not equipped to manage the situation it finds itself in.  The Star explores the findings with supplemental stories, including a girl discussing the first time she saw someone stabbed (among other things), an excerpt from the report about a group sexual assault of a Muslim girl in a boys washroom, and a survey piece that shows that violence and fear are common in schools.

L'Unita

I could start by saying that we had dinner at L'Unita and it was in a word. Perfect.
and maybe I should just leave it at that.
end of post.
but that's not much fun.
But seriously, we had such a perfect dining experience, that I am at a bit of a loss for words.
First off, extremely friendly, professional and passionate staff.
Our waiter was great, and obviously loves working at L'Unita.

"Wrongful Life"?

The Ontario Court of Appeal has denied a wrongful life claim of twin sisters.  The twins were born prematurely and and severely disabled because their mother's doctor prescribed a fertility drug (Clomid).  A jury had previously found the obstetrician negligent because he had misled the mother about potential side effects of the drug, and the family was awarded just over $12 million in damages.  On the eve of the trial, the family and doctor agreed on a settlement for $8.6 million. (The appeal continued because the amount of the settlement depended on its outcome.)

Hooked on Classics

You've heard of the Mozart Effect? Well, even if it was in fact a short-term effect tested only on college students, many parents like to expose their children to classical music anyhow. And who can blame them? It is beautiful, rich in history and sound, it can be exciting or soothing as parents require, and it is indeed part of a good, well-rounded cultural education. There are plenty of great CDs and DVDs introducing children to the orchestra, but I also like stories about the different instruments, about how musicians live and learn, about the history of the music and the composers, or simply about how music can move us. Here are a few worth sharing.

Two Drink Limit For Parents?

A chain of pubs in the U.K. has started enforcing a two-drink limit for all patrons who are dining with children. According to the report, the management of the chain has implemented this policy to discourage parents from keeping their children in a pub all day (although the reasons given for the discouragement differ - the company says it is "unfair" to the children, while others argue that it is more about not having children in pubs for long periods of time because they get too rambunctious.)