Before we dive into the facts regarding Ontario’s new sexual education curriculum and a discussion about whether it is good or bad for children- I need to make one fact abundantly clear: You can opt your child out of sex education classes in Ontario. Let me say it again, with slightly different wording: NOBODY in … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Parenting
The Reason You Need To Support Ontario’s Sex Ed Curriculum.
Even if sex education wasn’t proven to reduce teen pregnancies, though it is. Even if sex education didn’t reduce the incidence of STDs, though it does. Even if the new curriculum didn’t give the best and most factual information, though it does. Even if the new curriculum didn’t address the unique issues facing LGBT teens, … Continue reading
The Toronto Star has a Dark Side, Investigation Finds.
By Monday morning, Mohammed’s computer was no more useful than a paperweight. It wouldn’t load BIOS- every time he turned it on it would beep twice and shut down. By Wednesday he was out of a job, employed at a company that required him to file daily reports from home on his laptop. Mohammed’s wife … Continue reading
Why I’m Raising Feminists Social Justice Warriors (And So Should You!)
There is something that has been bothering me quite a bit lately. Many of my friends on Facebook have been announcing that they “no longer consider myself a feminist” or “don’t want to be associated with social justice warriors” or “don’t use the term atheist to describe myself”. These are people who by all accounts are … Continue reading
“I Turned Out Just Fine” Part I- Spanking IS Assault.
This is not “poisoning the well” for a discussion of spanking. This is a plain definition of what it is. In many jurisdictions spanking doesn’t meet the legal definition of assault- but it fulfills every characteristic of “assault” that we would apply to the agreed use of the word. The only thing that changes “reasonable discipline” to “assault” is the relationship of the victim to his/her attacker and not being old enough to have a reasonable right to personal security.
I’ll say that again: Our society has a magical age at which you have a reasonable right to personal security. Continue reading
Free Range Kids: Not Just Letting Kids Be Kids, But Letting Kids Become Adults
Thirty years ago, a parent generally erected fewer roadblocks around their child to explore the world. Children didn’t grow up with the invisible (and sometimes visible!) leashes that confine them to life within a stone’s throw of a parent or guardian. I think this new reality makes sedentary play a symptom of our attitudes toward children exercising their autonomy rather than children exercising their imagination or body. Free Range Kids is a movement that is gaining traction in the wake of several recent news stories where children have been prevented by authorities from learning and playing in an age appropriate way. Continue reading
The Pope’s Mama- Catholic Leader to Muslims: “You should punch people who insult the Prophet”
As a parent, I’m constantly trying to teach my kids that physical violence and retaliation are escalating behaviors that might make you feel better in the moment- but moments later prove themselves to have not just “not solved” a problem, but in fact make your problems worse. “Don’t hit your sister“, I tell my son. … Continue reading
Charlie Hebdo: Talking To My Son About Xenophobia, Privilege, and Satire.
My son loves comedy. He searches for it on YouTube, he watches stand-up and skit comedy on television; for Christmas this year you got his most prized possession- the entire box set of Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Among his absolute favourite shows on television is The Daily Show, and when Jon Stewart addressed the Charlie … Continue reading
Raising Doubts 