Stuck at home today?

Is your child's school closed today? If so, you're probably looking for things to do. Read our list of 10 oddball activities to try when you're stuck inside.

What are you doing with your kids today? Share your ideas here and maybe you'll make the day a little easier for one of your fellow readers.

My child's school, Runnymede, is open today and we have power, despite outages just east of us. Schools very near by are closed today. We're feeling quite fortunate. I couldn't help sort of feel a little like my five-year-old was missing out a bit on that "school's closed!" excitement. There is very little need for school buses in our neighbourhood, so it's very rarely closed.

By now you know what's up at your child's school, but in case you're curious, here's a list of the school's that are closed.

Handmaid's Tale controversy

If you haven't been following this story about Margaret Atwood's A Handmaid's Tale,  do check it out.

This book has been a part of school curriculum at least since I was in high school nearly 20 (gulp) years ago. Do you remember it?

A parent has filed a complaint saying the book "is rife with brutality..." towards women and sometimes men.

Should the TDSB even be reviewing books? How do you feel about a potential book-banning? Where should the TDSB and other boards draw the line if they are going to start removing established literature from the curriculum because of the subject matter?

Share your thoughts and observations about this issue and your memories about studying The Handmaid's Tale by commenting on this blog or the story.

TV: The great guilt source of modern parenthood

Today's feature by Susan Pigg about television's affect on baby brains has inspired a rigorous debate among commenters.

It cites long-term research that correlates an increase in television watching with the prevalence of attention disorders, such as ADHD.

What do you think?

Here's my take. Yes, there is an abundance of television programming geared at getting those who are still on the boob into the tube. But at the same time, this is the age of hyper-parenting, at least among relatively affluent social stratas, where you'd be hard-pressed to make the point that kids are babysat by television. On the contrary, they're likely carted around to Gymboree and parent-and-tot music and introduction to origami.

If anything, companies like Baby Einstein have capitalized on the whole "Years before five..."/"Mozart effect" phenomenon by convincing consumers that they're actually giving their children a leg up in life by exposing them to colours, numbers, the alphabet, in DVD form, all while they're still in nappies. They're tapping into a marketplace that would rather know what they're putting into the DVD player than pop their kids in front of whatever is on Treehouse.

I guess what would be dangerous is lulling ourselves into a false sense of the enrichment that so-called "educational" programs provide. A baby's best entertainment is the face of a parent or other loving caregiver, so substituting hours and hours of tri-lingual puppets for old-fashioned interaction would be a shame. It's likely the most isolated parents — with fewer resources for classes — that are most likely to lean heavily on these products.

But every so often, we all need a little help from Treehouse or TVOkids or Baby Einstein. I wish I could say that I never get to a point on a long, cold January Sunday afternoon when we've all been cooped up inside and say, both boys have suddenly gotten bloody noses at the exact same time (separate incidents - true story), and I'm tired of plucking my toddler off the dining room table. Those are moments when I'm going to say yes to TV or a short DVD. Because they seem to need some "down time," as my five-year-old has taken to spinning it, and we need them to leave us alone for five minutes so we can do the dishes or shower and stuff. (And if I can get through a cup of tea without having to warm it up twice in the microwave, that is a complete luxury for me.)

My takeaway from this is pretty commonsense: don't think of educational programs like a visit from the Mensa fairy, use them — and all kids' TV — in moderation, and make sure your kids get exercise. Then, when you do plunk in the Backyardigans as an alternative to losing your temper or crying more piteously than the baby, do it without guilt.

Important happenings

Newsflash: There is a spa opening on Queen Street that has childcare. CHILDCARE! It's called Sunny Mummy and it's opening at the end of the month at 903 Queen Street West.

The website is still under construction, but you can find a list of services posted there, which include packages for new and expectant moms, various customized pre- and post-natal massages, a good lineup of regular aesthetic services - even baby and child massage (though, really, aren't they already living the good life?).

I will pass on more details as I learn them but the important thing is that someone will look after your child while you do something about last summer's pedicure or the knots in your shoulders. Childcare costs are included in the price of services. Your wee ones will be looked after in the baby and toddler room by police-vetted caregivers. You simply have to call in advance to book a spot. The usual group-setting rules apply: no nuts, bring a snack and drink for your child, leave them home if green things are coming out of their noses, no matter how badly you want the Caribbean body scrub. No word yet on whether the child care room is sound proof.

Also, parents of Doodle-bop fans, the toddler-fave band is touring Canada February through April. Toronto date is March 15th at Roy Thompson Hall. Tickets available through Ticketmaster.

Belated Happy New Year

For some reason I'm getting a bit of a late start to the New Year, it seems. I should have written more than a week ago about our great article by Lisa Bendall on parenting resolutions. In the sidebar, you'll see that my own resolutions involve trying to be "less of a freakshow" around my kids. I made various other parents who work here at the Star share their resolutions as well, so be sure to check it out and comment with your thoughts on the coming year.

Certainly, it's not about promising to be any kind of perfect parent. No one is going to remember if you are the one who showed up to playgroup with homemade, sugar-free, apricot-quinoa balls. Well, no one who is your kid, that's for sure. But it's a time to think about what might be ahead for your family in the next 12 months. Maybe one child needs you to apply a little more creativity to a homework problem (rousing game of monopoly to improve math skills?), or everyone needs to pull together to earn the money for a trip the waterpark (garage sale?).

More than likely, at least one person in your house is resolving to get to the gym a little more often. On parentcentral.ca's sister website, healthzone.ca, you can follow funny guy David Bruser on his new fitness blog. Many of you will remember him from last year, when you followed his quit-smoking blog, Smoke Signals. Still smoke-free for nearly a year, David's back on the self-improvement track with characteristic self-deprecation and irreverence. His blog is part of a New Year's Resolution fitness guide on healthzone.ca. Some highlights include Sandy Naiman's feature on how to be happier in 2009, a guide to learning to run a 5K race with downloadable running log, fitness videos featuring Erin Billowits of Vintage Fitness, and a list of 10 food swaps you can make to trim calories and your waist line.

Meanwhile, I'm resolving to appear on this blog a little more frequently so I can tell you more about what's happening on the site, share news that parents can use and chat about family-friendly events and places.

One of those days

All parents have them. Everyone has them, in fact. But yesterday was just "one of those days" where I was so discombobulated by various minor issues I felt like I was starring in my own episode of Being Erica or Bridget Jones' Diary.

The day began with various panicky work emails, which I couldn't respond to promptly from home because I'm terrible about deleting emails and my outlook wouldn't send anything. Downstairs over breakfast (oh, there's no eggs), my elder son complains that his "eye is aching." There's nothing in it, but it's terribly painful and he might not be able to go to school, he says.

Pressing cold wash cloths onto his eye while trying to gather my stuff for work and kiss everyone goodbye, I forget my lunch and my insulated mug and pull out of the driving at a despicable 8:45.

When I'm in the middle of ranting to my colleagues about the traffic (what were all those cars doing on the Lake Shore Blvd. while I was trying to get to work?), I pull off my Hunter Wellies to discover that I'll be wearing pink and white sweat socks with my heels. I show the fashion editor. He is appalled.

Work goes reasonably well and quickly with plenty of news about elementary school teachers and York university, and I'm motoring because Cameron and I have dentist appointments after work. I dash home, drag him complaining away from Treehouse Television and we walk down to Bloor for the appointment. The waiting room looks pretty full. We're early. By a month.