Kids & Company Blog: Hot Topics

Kids & Company Parenting Concierge Service

Posted on: Tuesday June 11th, 2013

Posted by: Kidco Plus

Do you have parenting questions? Ask Kids & Company! Kids & Company is thrilled to launch our parenting concierge service, as part of our kidco+ suite of services. Over the years, our staff at Kids & Company have gained valuable knowledge on finding and delivering the best care for children and their families. Our parenting… [read more]

To Swaddle or Not to Swaddle

Posted on: Thursday June 6th, 2013

Posted by: Victoria Sopik

There are so many questions that arise when you’re preparing for a new baby! Is it better to bottle or breast feed? Is it better to use a crib or cradle? Pacifier or no pacifier? There are so many questions, so many experts and so many “answers” it’s hard to keep track of them all!… [read more]

Crib or Cradle? Where to start

Posted on: Friday May 24th, 2013

Posted by: Victoria Sopik

Whether you choose to start your baby out in a crib or slowly progress from a cradle or bassinet to a crib, there are a few things that should be considered. Whether you start with a cradle or go right to the crib is all a matter of preference.  We had each of our 8… [read more]

Homework: The fine line between helping them and doing it for them

Posted on: Thursday April 25th, 2013

Posted by: Victoria Sopik

As children progress through school, homework starts to pour in. Some children are able to finish their homework at their after-school programs while others have a hard time focusing after a long day of concentrating at school. By the time homework makes it home, many of us are tempted to over-help our children in order… [read more]

Why not be “Deceptively Delicious” this March Break?

Posted on: Wednesday March 13th, 2013

Posted by: Lisa Ruscica

This week I would like to highlight a wonderful family cookbook and a great recipe that may come in handy this March Break when the children are home from school. I love “Deceptively Delicious” by Jessica Seinfeld. This New York Times Best Seller gives you “simple secrets to get your kids eating good food.” Jessica… [read more]

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.

To Play or Not to Play?

Posted on: Tuesday September 4th, 2012

Posted by: Victoria Sopik

One question I’m often asked is, “do you love playing with children?” Although this may come as a surprise to most, my answer to that question is “no.” I do have a special love for babies, nursing, cuddling and playing with them, but I have never had much of an interest in “getting down on the ground,” or playing house, cars, school, etc. I have always felt more of a pull in the direction of nurturing and loving them and I’ve left their playing and learning to be developed through each other and school.

Behaviour Management

Posted on: Tuesday August 28th, 2012

Posted by: Victoria Sopik

Spanking is such a tough topic and is one that I have strong personal feelings about.
Of course, in the child care world we have a very firm policy on “behaviour management” and a teacher would be immediately let go if they even suggested a spanking policy. We take this very seriously and provide positive reinforcement and redirect the child if they are having a difficult time.

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.

Let’s Talk About Siblings

Posted on: Friday August 3rd, 2012

Posted by: Victoria Sopik

Let’s talk about siblings. As mentioned in previous posts, Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman’s Nurtureshock discusses several topics that are of interest to most parents. Chapter 6 of the book dispels the idea that being an only child has detrimental effects on the development of social skills.