Christina Van StarkenburgFeb 15, 20194 minHow to Find Your Parenting VillageWhen I was seven months pregnant with my oldest son, we packed up our lives in Ontario, boarded a plane and moved out west. We didn’t know anyone in our new ...
Christina Van StarkenburgJan 17, 20193 minHow to Throw a Party When Your Partner is AwayI can't believe I'm saying this, but my youngest turns one next week, which is both exciting and sad all at the same time. Part of the reason it's hard to be...
Christina Van StarkenburgJan 9, 20194 minHow to Cope When Your Threenager has an Epic MeltdownThe other day my newly-minted three-year-old had a meltdown of epic proportions. This time it happened when we were at the swimming pool waiting for his less...
Christina Van StarkenburgDec 30, 20182 minReview: When Your Kid is Hurting by Dr. LemanAs parents, one of the hardest things to watch is when your child is hurting. Especially when it feels like there is nothing you can do to help, like when th...
Christina Van StarkenburgNov 4, 20183 minHow to Talk to Your Child about Remembrance Day The other night I curled up with my three-year-old in his bed and showed him a poppy. Me: This is a poppy. It’s a special flower. Ollie: A special flower? Me...
Christina Van StarkenburgSep 11, 20182 min7 Steps to Leading an RPG for Your Kid and Their FriendsRole-playing games (RPGs) are so much fun to play, and they give your children a chance to work on their problem-solving skills, math skills, and story-telli...
Christina Van StarkenburgSep 10, 20181 minHow to Make a Simple Prayer Journal for Your KidsAs a Christian mother, one of the things I want to do is to help my children have a strong faith in God. One of the ways I can do that is to teach them how t...
Christina Van StarkenburgJul 27, 20181 min5 Ways to Connect With Kids from a Different CityWhen my two-year-old son sleepily said goodbye to his Daddy recently early one morning, I knew what he didn’t: Daddy was going away for a few weeks. Once Oli...
Christina Van StarkenburgJul 27, 20181 minHow Parents Can Help Their Kids Feel SafeMy two-year-old son has all of the bumps and bruises typical of an adventurous child, who hasn’t quite figured out how to fly or how to keep his torso from o...
Christina Van StarkenburgJul 27, 20181 minGoing to the Museum with Toddlers in TowThe sun is not yet up as my three-year-old runs into my room. He hands me Little Bear and Marshall to give me the false hope that this morning he might actua...
Christina Van StarkenburgJul 27, 20182 minHow to Find Hope in the Sea of GriefGRACE LIKE SCARLETT: GRIEVING WITH HOPE AFTER MISCARRIAGE AND LOSS By Adriel Booker 224 pages Adriel Booker's book Grace Like Scarlett: Grieving with Hope af...
Christina Van StarkenburgJul 26, 20182 minGrandma Spin, The Ultimate Answer, and the 144 Other Tips in Payleitner's Book.One thing I promised myself I would never be was too busy, and yet... here I am. Trying to carve out some time for myself while caring for my two boys, keepi...
Christina Van StarkenburgMay 10, 20182 minWhen Parenting is Hard It's Time to Bounceback: A Book ReviewAs every parent can attest, parenting children isn't always the easiest thing to do. Sometimes we get frustrated, sometimes we're overtired, and sometimes we...
Christina Van StarkenburgJun 11, 20164 minTaming the TV: Turning TV Time into Teachable MomentsThe other day my son was having one of those days. I’m sure you know the kind, where despite almost constant crying he still thought that a five-minute nap w...
