I don’t know about you, but there is nothing that drives me crazier as a parent, than whining kids! After doing a little research, I discovered that this is a learned behaviour and we have a lot to do with it……yikes! But what it really means is that they are trying to get our attention for one reason or another. Yes, it is a fact that we cannot give our children our undivided attention 24/7, but what we can do – is control our reactions to this attention seeking behaviour.

Okay, so what to do with a whining kid? Since it is illegal to lock your child in the trunk of a car to get them to be quiet – whatever you do, try not to give in! It only teaches them that this annoying practice works, so consistency is key. Ask them to ask you their question in a normal voice and perhaps give an example of what you mean – I find exaggerating the whining will at least get you a laugh. What my mother used to do was tell me that my whine was silly and to really put some soul into it, a little reverse psychology yes, but useful? Yes, as I would laugh at myself which is a valuable lesson in and of itself. Emphasize tone, as sometimes your child is unaware of just how annoying they sound.Once they ask you in a ‘normal’ voice you don’t have to say yes to their request but do praise them for dropping the whine! Often whining can increase or rear its ugly head with a change in environment, a new sibling, or just a lack of being able to properly express him or herself. A hungry or tired child does not help matters either! What not to do is react out of frustration and freak out – as attention is attention – whether it be good or bad and again this practice will prove useful. So just know that ‘this too shall pass’ and take the advice of my 4 year old who tells me: “Mommy, please wait for your patience”!

What are some tricks you use when it comes to whining kids?

To ensure that your child is comfortable for the night in order to get a good sleep, put them in our soft cotton Hatley PJs. Comfort is key, and with so many styles to choose from you are bound to find a winner. Give your child the attention they are seeking by having some one on one story time with them – try Big Bear Hug by, Nick Oldland, and their matching PJs.

Hatley Bear Hug Kids' Book Pajama Set

When it comes to buying adult and children’s clothing, different brands fit differently. Since it is nearly impossible to have a child (and even more so an infant!), actually try on garments before purchasing, a reliable, easy to use size chart is a must. This is especially important when purchasing on-line. For this reason, Hatley has re-designed our size chart to be as user friendly and as accurate as possible. Our rain boots run a size large and now with a printable foot chart, buying the accurate size for your child should be easier. As a mother I know how different brands fit my child – which ones run large and which ones run small and just how quickly she seems to grow out of them all. I personally throw everything in the dryer, therefore I tend to buy a bit larger so that not only can my daughter wear the garment longer but they are easy to take care of. Let’s face it, life is tough enough, shopping on line should be made easy! For an accurate fit please follow our sizing chart when taking body measurements. For best results use a soft (material) tape measure.

A lot of us are just about wrapping up our spring breaks. Some have caught up on their sleep, others on their reading; some have gone out with friends and family while others stayed in and put their feet up or a couple of days. For the lucky few, the weekend will be spent rolling back into town, winding down after a nice trip.

Hatley Surfer Girl Women's Beach Cover Up

Canadians love to travel—the seven or so travel agencies vying for attention on my street are proof of that. They’ll jump at half a chance to get out of town, even if it’s a two-hour ride away, as long as they don’t have to drive. And when you’ve got a whole week to kill, it’s hard to turn down a chance to get away. When the travel bug bites, it doesn’t matter whether it’s the beaches of Mexico, the Great Wall of China, or that quiet suburb across the river with a nice-looking park.

Planning the trip is a little less fun, especially if you have kids. But for me, it’s part of the adventure. In the months leading up to a trip, I’m floating on a cloud of anticipation, humming to myself as I make checklists, book hotels, and read restaurant reviews. My favourite part is packing—it’s probably the organizational freak in me. I especially like packing for warm destinations. Something about rooting around your wardrobe for beach dresses and sandals makes it almost smell like sunshine.

A fun challenge is packing as light as you can. When I’m traveling alone, I try to fit everything into a small weekender that I don’t have to check in, because waiting for luggage is needlessly long, not to mention risky.

My next trip is a few months away, but my heart is already halfway out of town. What’s on your to-go list?

Days out with the family were the highlights of my youth. Oh, I had my share of chasing dogs around the yard and building dollhouses, but nothing could beat hopping into the car and driving off—to the park, the pet store, a zoo in a city I’ve never been in.

To me, all this melting snow is a cue to stop watching TV, get off the computer, and take the family out for some fresh air. I live in an area where there are parks, shops, and ice cream stores every couple of blocks, so we’re spared the logistics nightmare of finding somewhere to go. Oh, and there’s the fact that dressing up doesn’t take half an hour: no coats, mitts, big boots and scarves. On a good day, you just throw on a cute hat and you’re good to go.

Hatley Dam It Adult Baseball Hat

Picnics are hands down my favourite outdoor activity. I never could say no to a picnic: when we were young, my parents let us take turns deciding what to do for the weekend, and I chose a picnic every single time. At university, “picnics” involved beer and barbecues instead of sandwiches and orange juice, but the idea was essentially the same. Today, my springs and summers are marked by the occasional lazy Sunday at the local park, enjoying a homemade lunch while watching kids play hide-and-seek with squirrels.

Occasionally, I like to head out more than a few blocks, so I hop onto the subway and wander. There’s always something going on in this city, so more often than not I stumble upon a sidewalk sale, street performers, or at the very least, a different park. Museums are always an option, too—we’ve got an amazing concentration of museums for a relatively tight downtown core.

I guess this penchant for being out, which I’m sure I share with many of you, has to do with our short and sweet summers. I don’t mind being cooped up in my heated apartment for most of the year, but I do like to make the most of good weather when it does arrive.

How do you like to spend your time out?

Well, ladies, we all do it – we check out what other women wear, so that we can get fashion ideas from them. You see a cute pair of pants, and you want to know where they came from – secretly hoping that it wasn’t from your large neighborhood retail store, so that half the town is wearing the same pants. Unique and comfortable things take time to find – especially those that are comfortable and last a while.

Hatley Pink Labs Adult Slippers

Take slippers for instance. From slipper socks to slouch slippers, we all like our feet to be warm during the cold winter months. Put on the soft, cushy, comfortable Pink Labs Adult Slippers and your entire day gets better!

This style of slippers has become very popular and you can see everyone from celebrities to little kids wearing a pair of these super-warm, light and comfy slippers. The great news is that when you get your slippers from Hatley, you will get a unique design that is cozy and stylish, and totally different from anything (read: plain and boring) that you could find at your local store.

These awesome pink slippers are made out of strong microfleece fabric, which is great for many reasons. This fabric can’t retain liquids easily, so it dissipates any perspiration out of the material, making it quickly evaporate. This is a unique quality of the fabric, which means that your feet will stay dry all day long.

Another function of this fabric is that it traps in heat, which makes the slippers super-warm – something that your fuzzy socks often cannot do. By getting a pair of slouch slippers, you will keep your feet and ankles warm, which will hopefully prevent you from catching a cold during the cool winter months…unless your kids bring it from school, of course.

And remember that microfleece is considered to be an environmentally-friendly fabric, that is lightweight and very easy to care for – just toss the slippers into your washing machine, and watch them come out looking good as new!