Kids & Company Blog: Development & Milestones

Tidy up time: The importance of cleaning up their own mess

Posted on: Thursday February 28th, 2013

Posted by: Victoria Sopik

I have always encouraged each and every one of my children to clean up their own mess as well as helping their siblings or friends clean up their messes. They are allowed to make their own food and eat (in certain approved spaces!), through out the house- as long as they cleaned up!   Asking… [read more]

The Benefits of Extra-Curricular Activities, How much is too much?

Posted on: Thursday February 21st, 2013

Posted by: Victoria Sopik

We’ve always encouraged our children to take part in as many activities as they would like to. This of course has never got in the way of school work and we’ve ensured that their schedules still left time for homework and some down time. Our boys have all played football, baseball, rugby, hockey and skied and… [read more]

The Pacifier Debate

Posted on: Tuesday October 9th, 2012

Posted by: Victoria Sopik

Whether or not to use a pacifier to soothe your baby has been a longdebated question for parents and pediatricians. There have beenstudies that suggest that pacifier use has health benefits for babies, including the reduction of SIDS in babies who use pacifiers. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Institute of Child Health and Human development recommend using a pacifier at night because of this.

Back to School Blogging!

Posted on: Friday September 14th, 2012

Posted by: Victoria Sopik

Once again, the summer has flown by, and as I enjoy the final few days of August, I am also gearing up for September, which is a busy month for most moms. Five of my eight children are going “back to school” next week, ranging from grade ten to law school. Given that I have gone through this process many times already, here are some of my tips for the transition back to school.

The Importance Of Sleep

Posted on: Wednesday August 22nd, 2012

Posted by: Victoria Sopik

Most of our parents have babies or small children, and sleep is a huge part of the entire family’s daily routine. If we haven’t slept well as a family then life is so much more difficult.
I have lots to share in future blogs about babies sleeping, toddlers and moving to “big beds”. I even have stories about baby number eight sleeping with us until he was close to five! This was not a good thing and is one of my parenting regrets.

Is there such a thing as too much praise?

Posted on: Wednesday August 1st, 2012

Posted by: Victoria Sopik

I do consider myself somewhat of a “parenting expert” and this is not just because I have 8 children, but also because many years ago (26 to be exact), I attended a 2-year parenting course called “Children the Challenge”. Since then, I have continued with reading and taking courses every year. While I do not always agree with what I read, I feel that the answer for parents is to read/learn and decide what makes sense for you.

Cell Phones or No Cell Phones for Kids? That is the Question.

Posted on: Thursday March 29th, 2012

Posted by: Julie Cole

Parents often wonder what the appropriate age is to get a kid a cell phone. Some kids beg for one, claiming all their friends at school have them. Some parents feel it’s a safety thing – kids can get hold of them when necessary.
My three “biggies” are nine, eleven and twelve years old. While I can certainly think of times it would have been convenient for them to have cell phones, we haven’t gone there yet.

Potty Training Tips

Posted on: Wednesday March 7th, 2012

Posted by: Victoria Sopik

As every child and parent is different and this is true for my children, I decided it would be best to poll our highly trained, qualified and certified directors and ECE’s to see what they think about potty training. Included are tips and tricks from my 8 experiences of potty training as well as the hundreds of experiences our team has had.

Transitioning from a Crib to a Bed

Posted on: Tuesday November 1st, 2011

Posted by: Victoria Sopik

Children behave in such different ways. One small change to us could really be a huge change to them. I have children who really, didn’t even notice when something changed around them and others who if you changed the smallest thing, even the brand of cookies you were buying, they just could not handle it!

Teaching Gratitude

Posted on: Monday October 24th, 2011

Posted by: Kids & Company

October keeps catching me by surprise. The cold weather comes and stays. Then I’ve got to excavate the fall and winter clothes from storage and pull out my favorite autumn recipes. I flip the page on the wall calendar and start thinking about Halloween costumes, pumpkin carving, booking holiday travel, and buying new snowsuits for the kids (when will they stop outgrowing one each year?).