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It’s All in the Details – My Life With T
An important lesson that school teaches kids is that details and presentation matter; and they help move average towards excellent. Two weeks ago, we learned that T had to complete a diorama about a Canadian region of his choice and accompanied by a research report and presentation. My first thought was “What fresh hell is…
Candid Conversation: Frances Victory on Her Journey To Find A New You – My Life With T
I am often inspired by those who’ve gone through a journey of discovery and then use their experience to inform and inspire others on similar journeys. Frances Victory is a Life Coach, Speaker, Developmental Psychologist and Adjunct Assistant Professor. She completed her doctoral degree in Developmental Psychology at the City University of New York’s Graduate…
Lost in Translation – My Life With T
Learning a new language is hard. Having a laugh with it, intentional or not, makes it fun. Like other Grade 4 public school students, T started French class this year. It’s a good thing the hubby is fluent, so he can help T with the work, as needed. His CYW shared photos of T’s presentation…
This Grateful Heart – My Life With T
When chaos disrupts my peace, gratitude helps reframe my focus to face the challenges ahead. On our recent flight home from a wonderful family vacation in Mexico, T had a full-blown meltdown during boarding. The hubby had deleted his favourite game from the phone, which I had advised the hubby against giving to T beforehand.…
On the Edge of Saturday Night with Kylie Minogue – My Life With T
An ice storm couldn’t keep us away from a night 16 years in the waiting with pop queen Kylie Minogue. The Australian icon brought her Tension Tour to North America, with her first stop at Toronto’s Scotiabank Centre on March 29. The weather was miserable; freezing rain and ice storms further north of the city.…
The Deadly Walk – My Life With T
Writing helps me process my world. Reading T’s school writing work, I see he might’ve done the same. As an ice storm descended in our city, I settled into my Friday evening and noticed an artwork that T had created in his school folder. Upon closer inspection, it was an image of what looked like…
Another Lap Around the Sun – My Life With T
I celebrated my 44th birthday weekend with my two favourite guys on a rare Saturday night out at a glow-in-the-dark trampoline park. We piggybacked on one of T’s peers’ birthday party. It started at 8:30 when I am usually getting ready for bed. 😂 I enjoyed sitting on a couch watching T have a blast.…
March Break in Mexico – My Life With T
For March Break last week, our family returned to Cancun, Mexico and had a blast. The week leading up to the trip, T’s excitement was palatable. On the Friday before the break, I picked T up from school at lunch, to let him relax in the afternoon, as we had to get up at 2…
The Exceptional Caregivers Life – My Life With T
I’m excited to share that a podcast I worked on has launched! The Exceptional Caregivers Life features real and compassionate conversations about the highs and lows of caring for individuals with disabilities and complex needs. Created by Surrey Place’s Family Advisory Council and hosted by members Liz Phipps and Wendy Robertson, our podcast features stories of…
Awards Season – My Life With T
We all need recognition sometimes, as it boosts confidence, motivation and self esteem. It’s Sunday night and T is taking a bath while I’m relaxing with the Oscars. They just handed the first award to Kieran Culkin for Supporting Actor and he gave a joyful speech. Oscars night has changed since my 20s when friends…
Full STEAM Ahead: Nurturing Creativity and Curiosity in Neurodiverse Kids – My Life With T
It turns out our sweet T has burgeoning skills other than driving me batshit crazy. I say this with love and fondness. 😇 I recently watched the documentary “I’m Tim,” about the rise and tragic loss of EDM artist Avicii, whose upbeat music T and I enjoy. It struck me how supportive his parents were…
Lean on Me – My Life With T
Who we lean on during the hard times. That is the definition of family. A few days after T’s birthday party, I got quite sick. Fever over 40 and after a day sitting in Emergency, I was prescribed antibiotics for pneumonia. Yes, twice in less than two years. Fun! During the four days I was…
At Age 10, We Threw Our Son his First Birthday Party – My Life With T
Our little guy is 10! 10, double digits, how is this possible?! It was just yesterday that he was learning to walk, we had just started potty training and I was counting with one hand the number of words he could say. T had his first-ever birthday party on Saturday at Skyzone Trampoline Park. I’ve…
Cooking for the Soul: Thirds – My Life With T
2025 is the year of lean. This includes leaning into activities that bring me joy and comfort, like cooking. The hubby and I also want to be leaner with our food expenses. While we are budget conscious, we can do better at eating out less and getting Uber Eats takeout, which we do out of…
His First Real Sleepover – My Life With T
A weekend in December gave T his first taste of a beloved childhood tradition. As a parent, I wish for T to enjoy all the common childhood experiences, such as camping, birthdays and sleepovers. He had his first “sleepover” two summers ago at his grandparents’ cottage. He slept in a tent outside with his Aunt…
Window to His Soul – My Life With T
Art is healing, inspiring, a form of self expression and for caregivers, a glimpse inside their children’s thoughts. Before Christmas break, T’s teacher sent home his fall school work, which included his journal. This past week, I started reading his daily journal entries and they are a delight. I remember my very first journal, a…
Finding A Big Brother Mentor for Our Neurodiverse Son – My Life With T
This is a tale in two parts and one tail. One of our goals for this school year is to help T build positive peer and social relationships. These are often cited as challenges for individuals with FASD for reasons that include dysmaturity, regulation and impulsivity. As kids with FASD get older, research has shown…
Visiting the Real Life Schitt’s Creek – My Life With T
We kicked off 2025 with a daytrip to the real-life Rosebud Motel from Schitt’s Creek, located in Orangeville, an hour drive from Toronto. The drive was relaxing. The highway and roads were quiet and there was light snow further north. Schitt’s Creek is a beloved Emmy-winning Canadian comedy series that ran from 2015 to 2020.…
You’re Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile – My Life With T
Christmas was full of relaxation and melancholy. We kept plans to a minimum - family dinner on Christmas Eve and dinner with friends tonight - and otherwise, lazy days at home. On Christmas, I opened my eyes at 7 am and T’s head was poking through our door like a ferret. I quickly shut my…
Lazy Weekend – My Life With T
I’m on staycaytion the next two weeks and my goal to do nothing got off to a wonderful lazy start. I stayed in PJs all weekend and binged Abbott Elementary - hilarious and highly recommended. I told T he’s going to daycare during the break and he better not screw me over by getting sick…
The Scarecrow – My Life With T
What are the urban legends we tell to keep people in line? On a recent Sunday grocery run with T, as I parked the car, he said, “There’s an owl on the roof.” I love that T notices things that we normally miss. There indeed was an owl on the roof of the supermarket, pictured…
Hide and Seek – My Life With T
We’re wired for connection and time with people can be healing and open our minds. I was delighted to be invited back to The Heart of the Matter podcast to speak with Wynne Leon and Vicki Atkinson about finding community. Connecting with Wynne and Vicki is always a joy. Our chat reminded me about recent…
Miss Americana, Taylor Swift – My Life With T
T and I celebrated the hubby’s birthday with a night out at Taylor Swift’s highly anticipated Eras Tour show in Toronto. We had purchased the tickets, nosebleed seats, last Fall and were lucky to get them at face value. The hubby’s sister visited us for his birthday week and it was nice they got to…
Win as a Team – My Life With T
Watching our 9-year-old T enjoy soccer lessons reminds me of why we work as a team. T is halfway through his first round of lessons and it’s been a fun Sunday morning family routine. The hubby and I signed our soccer fan up for these free lessons offered at a City-run recreation centre to help…
The Simple Life: Exploring Village Historique Acadien in New Brunswick – My Life With T
Less is more. Tight knit community connections. Want not, waste not. These were thoughts that came to mind when we stepped back in time during a visit to the Acadian Village in New Brunswick in August. Le Village Historique Acadien is an historical reconstruction that portrays the way of life of Acadians between 1770 and 1949.…
Story of My Life – My Life With T
I made it home just in time for a special unexpected bedtime routine with T. With thanks to the hubby, I had a rare weeknight out to support colleagues at an event. As I texted the hubby on the subway ride home, he let me know it was a rougher night; T was very disregulated…
Running for Life: “I’m Not a Quitter” – My Life With T
Thanksgiving is quieter and simpler this year. Two years ago, I hosted dinner for Ma and my sister; the latter had just moved in with us after receiving her terminal cancer diagnosis. Last year, Ma was at the Philippines for an extended visit and I don’t remember if we even did anything for Thanksgiving. So…
Sports as Social Medicine for Neurodiverse Kids – My Life With T
On the last Sunday morning of September, T woke up excited for his first soccer lesson. T loves soccer and his CYW suggested enrolling him into lessons. Sports is often therapeutic for neurodiverse kids, like T who has FASD and ADHD, to help burn off energy and to regulate their mood. I also see social…
Cooking for the Soul: The F*ck Off Cholesterol Edition – My Life With T
When my family doctor asked to meet about my bloodwork, I knew I had to start taking cholesterol meds. He let me know last summer that my cholesterol was high and we tried to lower it through changes to nutrition. I’m a fairly healthy person - eat, sleep and exercise mostly well - so I’m…
The Stories We Tell – My Life With T
Stories inform, inspire, and illuminate life’s complexities and contradictions. Earlier this week, our team at work participated together in a learning and reflection activity to pay respect to National Truth and Reconciliation Day, which is observed on September 30. We watched a short documentary that featured interviews with survivors of the residential school system. My…
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough: Riding Banff Gondola Up Sulphur Mountain – My Life With T
The big picture view always puts the small details into clear perspective. On Day 3 of our family trip to Banff in early July, we took the Banff Gondola up Sulphur Mountain. As it’s a popular spot, we reserved a timeslot ahead of time online to minimize the wait to board. As someone who gets…
“Up My Butt!” – My Life With T
This is a wholesome and positive post, I promise. Two weeks into the new school year 4, T and our family are settling into more structured days. Some good news, T still has his Child and Youth Worker support for academic subjects. It is very rare for a 4th grader to have this support and…
Drumming Heartbeats for FASD Awareness Day – My Life With T
September 9 is International FASD Awareness Day. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder describes the impacts on the brain and body of someone exposed to alcohol in the womb. On Sunday, we participated in a community event at St James Park in downtown Toronto organized by Surrey Place, the wonderful organization that has supported T since he…
The Boy with the Big Outdoor Voice – My Life With T
“Oh my God, when is that baby going to stop crying,” our 9-year-old said loudly during our recent flight home from Banff. I was horrified and amused. The woman behind us burst out laughing. Such is the life with T, who is never shy to speak his mind, even and especially when things are best…
Riding the Rollercoaster of Life – My Life With T
The build up often outlasts the thrill themselves, but boy, are they worth it sometimes. Our annual Labour Day weekend camping plans were thwarted by bad weather and we kept it local and chill instead. We took T to Canada’s Wonderland on Saturday, a beautiful day, our first visit in two years. Going in, we…
Visits to the Hospital - My Life with T
Parents want to protect children from hard realities of life but these moments can provide valuable lessons. T has faced a lot of heartbreak for a 9 year old, including Ma’s death this year and my sister’s death the prior year; the latter lived with us in the last few months of her battle withContinue reading "Visits to the Hospital"
The Tumbles and Polish of Sea Glass - My Life with T
Picking up treasures on pebbled shores reflected the journey through life’s imperfections. One highlight from our visit to T’s grandparents in New Brunswick was picking sea glass. Wonderopolis describes sea glass as pieces of glass smoothed over time by the tumbling of water, waves, and sand. As glass soak in salt water and get tossed againstContinue reading "The Tumbles and Polish of Sea Glass"
Swimming at Nigadoo Falls: An Off the Beaten Path Oasis in New Brunswick - My Life with T
Often times, the best activities are those known to the locals. At the top of T’s list to do during our annual summer visit to his grandparents in Beresford was to swim at Nigadoo Falls. It’s a beautiful, rocky and fresh water spot tucked in the woods, off the unassuming Rue du Moulin in Nigadoo,Continue reading "Swimming at Nigadoo Falls: An Off the Beaten Path Oasis in New Brunswick"
Wild Blueberries - My Life with T
We’re letting T run wild this summer, taking a more relaxed approach than previous years. Usually by the end of June, I would’ve lined up worksheets and books from his teacher, to work on with T over the summer. I did this to avoid summer learning slide, as I’m mindful of T’s FASD and ADHD.Continue reading "Wild Blueberries"
Hiking Takakkaw Falls and Canoeing Emerald Lake at Yoho National Park - My Life with T
We saved some of the best experiences for last during our family summer trip to Banff, Alberta. I intentionally kept our last day as a blank slate when planning the itinerary. At the advice of a local, we spent the day exploring Yoho National Park, located an hour drive from the town of Banff. OurContinue reading "Hiking Takakkaw Falls and Canoeing Emerald Lake at Yoho National Park"