The Homemade Asian Pear Cough Tea I Make for My Son

When my kids get a cold, they each seem to have their own signature opening act. My daughter alwaysโ€”and I mean alwaysโ€”starts with a runny nose. She sneezes, and that thick yellow stuff comes shooting out of both nostrils. Then we know: sheโ€™s got it. My son, on the other hand, always starts with a cough. Cough, cough, cough. Then we know: heโ€™s got it. When He Started Coughing Without a Cold Recently, however, we noticed that my son was coughing quite a bit even when he didnโ€™t seem to have a cold. We wondered whether it could be an … Continue reading The Homemade Asian Pear Cough Tea I Make for My Son

When My Five-Year-Old Asked About Death: What Finally Comforted Him

My son, B, is a soft-hearted boy. He is stubborn and persistent, but he is also very sensitive. His eyes fill with tears when he listens to certain music or watches an emotional scene in a movie. He doesnโ€™t always cry, but I can tell that he feels things deeply. About seven months ago, we were having brunch as usual. I donโ€™t remember exactly how the conversation got there, but somehow we started talking about how people die. We didnโ€™t say anything like, โ€œWhat if Mommy dies?โ€ or โ€œWhat if Daddy dies?โ€ We were simply talking about death in general. … Continue reading When My Five-Year-Old Asked About Death: What Finally Comforted Him

Penaten Diaper Rash Cream Review: The One Baby Product I Still Keep

* This post contains an affiliate link. If you purchase through the link, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This product has been a lifesaver for my kidsโ€™ bums. I started using Penaten Medicated Creamy Diaper Rash Treatment when B was a baby, and I still keep a tube at home todayโ€”even though neither of my kids wears diapers anymore. I am not loyal to baby products. Honestly, Iโ€™ve never had strong preferences when it comes to most baby products. Baby lotion? Whatever was on … Continue reading Penaten Diaper Rash Cream Review: The One Baby Product I Still Keep

My Picky Eater Wonโ€™t Eat Jamโ€”but Heโ€™ll Eat Sardines

My son B is not a big eater. Actually, he has never been a big eater, ever since he was born. When he was around two or three years old, there were probably five foods we could choose from: Mac … Continue reading My Picky Eater Wonโ€™t Eat Jamโ€”but Heโ€™ll Eat Sardines

Kidsโ€™ Birthday Party Etiquette: Siblings, Gifts, Allergies, and the Loot Bag Problem

Here we go again. We got another birthday party invitation. Isnโ€™t a birthday party fun? Yeeees. Isnโ€™t a birthday party exciting? Yeeeeeees. Isnโ€™t a birthday party expensive? YEEEEEEEEES!! This time, the birthday party is for twins. (Duh duh duh.) Double … Continue reading Kidsโ€™ Birthday Party Etiquette: Siblings, Gifts, Allergies, and the Loot Bag Problem

How Much We Spent on a Kidsโ€™ Birthday Party in Torontoโ€”and Why We Chose an Indoor Playground

When Do Kids Start Expecting a Big Birthday Party? My friend, who had a boy before I did, once gave me this advice: Put off having a big birthday party for as long as possible. Because once you start, there … Continue reading How Much We Spent on a Kidsโ€™ Birthday Party in Torontoโ€”and Why We Chose an Indoor Playground

Two Ribfests Downโ€”and Maybe One More to Go

We went to Ribfest twice this summer, and we may go one more time. Not that we are the biggest Ribfest fans or anything. Although after our first visit, my husband did mention that he wanted to go to another … Continue reading Two Ribfests Downโ€”and Maybe One More to Go

Our SickKids ER Visit: A Possible Wrist Fracture and a Surprisingly Short Wait

Our Recent Visit to the SickKids Emergency Room As a mom of young kids in Toronto, SickKids Hospital almost feels like a mandatory place to stop by at some point. Iโ€™ve visited the SickKids emergency room many timesโ€”mostly with my … Continue reading Our SickKids ER Visit: A Possible Wrist Fracture and a Surprisingly Short Wait

My Almost-Six-Year-Oldโ€™s Pee Accidents: Part 2โ€”Daytime

My sonโ€™s pee problem doesnโ€™t only happen at night. I already wrote about our weekly nighttime accidents-and the 4 a.m. mattress-cleaning disaster-in Part 1: My Almost-Six-Year-Old’s Pee Accidents-Nighttime. Even during the daytime, there is a wet dot on his underwear … Continue reading My Almost-Six-Year-Oldโ€™s Pee Accidents: Part 2โ€”Daytime

My Almost-Six-Year-Oldโ€™s Pee Accidents: Part 1โ€”Nighttime

My son, my lovely almost-six-year-old, well-spoken, BTS material (to me), still has pee accidents at night. ๐Ÿคฆโ€โ™€๏ธ His three-year-old younger sister stopped having nighttime accidents when she was two. Why? Whyโ€ฆ It is almost a once-a-week event, which gives me … Continue reading My Almost-Six-Year-Oldโ€™s Pee Accidents: Part 1โ€”Nighttime