Need a babysitter? Choose wisely! Photography by Nina Matthews (via Flickr, CC)

Pregnancy and parenting website TheBump.com recently posted a list of celebrities who they would (and wouldn’t) hire to babysit their wee ones. George Clooney, Hugh Jackman and Jennifer Garner all made the list of potential babysitters, thanks to their down-to-earth personalities (plus Jackman and Garner both have kids of their own, which doesn’t hurt). The celebs who didn’t make the cut? Charlie Sheen, Hugh Hefner and Lady Gaga (meat dresses aren’t exactly baby-friendly).

We came up with our own list of potential Canadian celebrity babysitters. At the top, of course, is Rick Mercer, who would probably be the greatest babysitter ever (just watch him snuggle a baby bear and then imagine it’s your toddler. Adorable). Rachel McAdams has admitted that she wants to be a “nurturing and gentle” mother and we think she would be a natural babysitter. And after seeing these pictures of Ryan Gosling with his dog, George, there’s no doubt in our mind that he would be great with kids too (his good looks had nothing to do with this decision—really, we swear!). However, we’d pass on Avril Lavigne (she might prove to be more of a brat than the kids) and Justin Bieber (he’d be too busy fighting off crazy fan girls to really watch the children).

Which celebrity would you let babysit your kids? And who wouldn’t you trust with your wee ones?

Duran Duran or Justin Bieber? Photography by Pink Sherbert Photography via Flickr (CC)

Disco Mickey Mouse. Strawberry Shortcake. Little House on the Prairie. Emergency!Duran Duran. Stephen King books. River Phoenix. When I think back to all the pop culture obsessions that helped guide my way from childhood into the teenage years, I think my parents (and my potential geek factor) got off easy. It’s a nice, gentle, somewhat macabre transition, equal parts girly and grisly, pop and pout and it definitely had a big hand in shaping the person I became.

A love of music and books, mystery and history still rule my pop-culture and art-addled brain, and when I look back at these stepping stones, I can’t help but also look forward, at the two small girls sitting on the floor playing together, and wonder where their interests will turn.

I’ve seen the transition already beginning in my six-and-a-half-year-old: she’s moved on from Treehouse and princesses to Barbie videos and well, Barbie dolls. Fancy Nancy certainly holds her attention now, but as her ability to read begins to catch up with her love of books, I intently wait to see the genre she will gravitate towards in the coming years. Music is always present in our house, and while I tried to balance the kids’ music CDs (I know—many of you will hate them, but I wrote a lot of the songs on the CDs we listen to, so I do have a soft spot for them) with a generous helping of regular old music music, their preferences are already shining through.

It’s exciting to see. I can’t wait to find out what, if any, of our influences permeate the preteen years, or if I’m going to spend a good deal of the next decade rolling my eyes and trying not to cringe. I suspect it will be a little bit of both.

Will our indie-household cred be compromised as my daughters swoon over the latest version of Justin Bieber, or will I be begging for Bieber Fever as the girls kill brain cells going crazy for the Pussycat Dolls 2.0?

Did my own parents think they should have turned up the volume a little bit more on their Hooked On Classics records as I crooned “Eternal Flame” into my hairbrush?

Of course, I do have my parents to thank for my love of ABBA and all things folk, so it’s possible that the hours and hours my children have been subjected to Belle and Sebastian EPs could stick, and they’ll still think it’s cool once they’re teenagers.

The down side? By then it’ll be considered classic rock.

Karen Green recently traded life in the biggest city in Canada for life in the biggest cornfield in Canada. Freed from her full-time job as a writer and editor, Karen now spends her time…writing and editing. And frolicking in the leaves with her two small girls. Karen is a speaker, the founder of Mom The Vote and the author of the blog, The Kids Are Alright, where she has been writing about the humorous and poignant moments of family life since 2005. She is thrilled to be a part of canadianfamily.ca.

Photography via imdb.com

A weekend trip to the movies with your kids can feel like a major financial investment these days—once you factor in the cost of tickets, and then add drinks and snacks, you may start to seriously rethink your need to see the latest 3D flick on the big screen. While we admit that there’s something about enjoying a movie in a theatre that just can’t be beat—the dim lights, the huge screen, the surround sound; it’s all very exciting, especially for little movie-buffs-in-training—our weary wallets could use a break.

So you can imagine how happy we were to discover that Cineplex is now offering discounted movie tickets for families on Saturday mornings. For just $2.50 per ticket at participating theatres across Canada, you can kick back and watch the special 11 a.m. showing of classic films like 1988′s The Land Before Time (February 25th), 1995′s Jumanji (March 3rd) and 2001′s Shrek (March 10th).

Apart from being budget-friendly, we love that this deal lets parents share beloved movies with their kids. Remember what it felt like to watch E.T. on the big screen? Now your wee ones can experience that, too—it’s the Family Favourite for March 17th.

Bonus: a portion of the proceeds from the Family Favourites ticket sales will benefit the Starlight Children’s Foundation. For more information about Cineplex Family Favourites, visit cineplex.com.

Sam Taylor-Wood and fiancé Aaron Johnson chose Romy Hero for their second daughter's name. Photography by WPA Pool/Getty Images.

We’re only just about two months into 2012, and we already have a slew of celeb baby names that have made the news.

Of course, Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s daughter Blue Ivy Carter (which is actually going to be trademarked,* if it hasn’t already) is probably the best known. There has been so much speculation as to what her name actually means! (Isn’t it possible they just like the names Blue and Ivy?) Plus, she’ll probably just go as Bay-Z or Bluoncé as she grows older anyway.

Two weeks ago, Jason Bateman’s daughter made headlines when she arrived and was given the handle Maple Sylvie. Robin Stevenson, our executive editor at Canadian Family magazine, got noticed by the Washington Post for suggesting via Twitter that Maple should marry one of Kevin Bacon’s kids, and then she could be Maple Bacon (wokka wokka).

But these aren’t the only celebs to choose unique names for their ’12 babies.

Robert Downey Jr.’s new son is named Exton Elias.

British director and artist Sam Taylor-Wood (44) and her fiancé actor Aaron Johnson (21) welcomed second daughter Romy Hero. Their first is named Wylda. (We’ve only just discovered these two, and we’re fascinated. The age gap is a part of it, the fact that he’s such a young dad is another part of it, but just look at them in this photo [at right] and tell us that you don’t want to know their story! It’s worth noting that this photo was taken at Buckingham Palace on the day that Taylor-Wood received the Order of the British Empire from Prince Charles.)

Actress Keri Russell named her little girl Willa Lou.

But there are some celebs who have chosen decidedly less unusual names for their kids this year. Actress Bryce Dallas Howard named her daughter Beatrice Jean, while British pop star Lily Allen chose Ethel Mary for hers.

Though Blue and Maple are definitely unusual, we’re still waiting for the 2012 baby name that will really have us scratching our heads.

If you’re looking for a baby name, check out our Baby Name Finder: we’ve got over 50,000 names for you to explore and rate.

*If ever there was a reason I am grateful that I am not a celebrity, it’s that I don’t have to worry about trademarking my baby’s name.

Photography by Roo Reynolds, via Flickr (CC)

Sure everyone may be gathered around the dinner table for a family meal, but no one is really there. Just look around: one child might be on Facebook, while another is playing Angry Birds, and your partner is checking their Twitter feed. For whatever reason, cellphones are disrupting what’s supposed to be family time. Sound familiar?

With a bit of creativity, you can win back the family meal. Put your family to the test with a little game called Phone Stacking.

The “game” is simple: everyone at the table turns over their phone, or you can even stack all your phones one on top of the other so those incoming texts or incessant blinking lights cannot be seen, only heard (or you can take it a step further and opt to have everyone switch their phone to “silent” mode). The goal of the game is to not pick up your phone, regardless of the reason.

The purpose of this activity is to win back family time by pulling yourself away from technology and simply enjoying each others’ conversation and company again.  Whoever reaches for their phone first will lose the game. However, if everyone resists the temptation to check their phones, then everyone wins!

As for the loser, they may end up on dish duty or have to clear off the table for the rest of the week. They could even lose a household privilege, like XBox or TV time. That text message or Facebook update will hardly seem worth it.

The thing that we like most about this game is that it not only gives you the chance to reconnect with everyone, but your kids will also have the chance to relearn the forgotten art of table etiquette.

Do you have rules about phones at the dinner table? Would you try Phone Stacking with your family?

Photography by James Tse, 20 Minute Supper Club

If you needed an excuse to eat breakfast food for dinner, you’re in luck! Today is Shrove Tuesday (also known as Pancake Tuesday or Fat Tuesday), a day designed especially for filling up on decadent stacks of fluffy, buttery pancakes before Ash Wednesday, which marks the first day of Lent—a period of fasting and penance leading up to Easter.

Even if you don’t observe Lent, feasting on delicious pancakes is something that we think everyone can get behind. And we love that you can dress them up any way you want—American Breakfast Pancakes, Banana Split Pancakes and Apple Oatmeal Pancakes are some of our faves. But if you’re after something new and different this year, try these Apple Puffed Pancakes from our sister site, 20 Minute Supper Club. They take only 10 minutes to prep, and are sure to be a hit with your whole pancake-loving gang all year round.

What you’ll need:
• Granny Smith apples
• Fresh lemon juice
• Granulated sugar
• Eggs
• All-purpose flour
• Milk
• Salt
• Brown sugar
• Cinnamon
• Unsalted butter
• Maple syrup (optional)

You’ll find the full recipe and baking instructions for these Apple Puffed Pancakes over at 20 Minute Supper Club. Enjoy!

Illustration by Hyen Lee

After being sent to the dentist with her dad to investigate the mouth aches my six-year-old daughter was routinely complaining about, we had the answer. The culprit was her six-year molars (first permanent back molars). Weren’t we long done with teething issues, I wondered? As it turns out, no—and it’s just one of a few dental surprises your child may develop at this age. So we asked Dr. Clive Friedman, a London, Ont.-based pediatric dentist, and Dr. Leonard Smith, a Calgary-based pediatric dentist to, er, fill us in on other dental-related red flags to watch for.

Molars

As we discovered, the erupting of the first permanent back molars, or six-year molars, behind the last baby teeth can cause discomfort in some children. If pain is a problem, opt for a pain reliever such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen rather than a topical analgesic (numbing agent). “Those medicines are still drugs and oftentimes too much is used and children swallow it and then they get that freezing effect all the way down the throat,” says Dr. Smith. Cleaning these molars can also be an issue if a flap of tissue is still sitting on top of the tooth. Dr. Smith recommends using an irrigation syringe (available through your dentist) to squeeze water under the flap to clean out any food debris.

Losing baby teeth

Has your six-year-old lost eight teeth already? Then your child is probably a girl. “In this age group, girls are generally ahead of boys in teeth coming into the mouth,” says Dr. Friedman. Keep in mind that if your child’s primary teeth erupted early it’s likely his permanent teeth will come in earlier too, notes Dr. Smith. But if you see your child’s permanent teeth coming up on the inside of the upper primary teeth, book an appointment with the dentist. If by chance your child does lose a baby back molar, he may need a space maintainer. “Teeth from the back shift forward,” says Dr. Smith. “So if your child loses his first baby molar to decay or another reason, you may need to maintain that space to allow for the alignment for the erupting permanent teeth.” And don’t fret about the colour of his permanent teeth, which may be shades of yellow to grey—primary teeth are usually lighter in colour.

Spacing between teeth

Your child’s baby teeth may clue you in as to what their permanent teeth will look like. “If the baby teeth are spaced then there is a very good chance that the permanent teeth will come in straight,” says Dr. Friedman. “If they are crooked, the likelihood is very close to 100 percent that the permanent teeth will be crowded.” As for using braces to solve spacing problems, Dr. Friedman notes that many orthodontists prefer to wait until your child’s permanent teeth have erupted or close to erupted. “It’s often a personal preference for orthodontists. Because your child is still growing and their face is still growing, many orthodontists don’t like to get in until that growth is completed, so you know exactly what you’re dealing with.” However, he adds, there are some orthodontists who will start treatment at age six or seven, and in certain instances, this is a much better time.

Tooth decay

Maybe your little Beckham likes to down sports drinks at half-time. Or maybe he enjoys the sticky Halloween treats that cling to teeth. The bacteria in our mouths love carbohydrates and can utilize them to produce acid that causes the calcium to leach out of the enamel and create cavities. This process of acid production can occur in 20 minutes or less following food consumption, says Dr. Friedman. The damage to the tooth depends on how long and how often food is in the mouth, not if it contains a lot of sugar. “In fact, items like bread, crackers and granola bars can be just as bad, if not worse than eating pure sugar,” says Dr. Friedman, who explains it is really about the oral clearance—the amount of time it takes for a food to enter into the esophagus once it has been introduced into the mouth—of the food source, rather than what’s in it. That’s why lollipops are the worst item for your child’s teeth, he says. Ideally, your child should brush after every meal, but once in the morning and just before bed will do. Remind your child to drink a glass of water after eating to help wash away some of the food from inside his mouth.

One particularly eloquent commenter advised me to “purchase a damned sense of humor somewhere,” so that’s just what I’ve done. They have a great deal on senses of humour at Walmart right now. Here then, are 13 onesies that I think are funny/clever/amusing that I would happily put on my baby.

Photography by Edward Pond

Whether you hit the toboggan hill en famille, or laze in front of the fire all day in your PJs, don’t let Family Day close without gathering around the table together.

Fondue is the perfect meal for the occasion. Although the prep is a bit finicky (so many little things to chop and slice), everyone can pitch in to lighten the load. (Little ones can set the table). Lots of little dishes means everyone gets what they want to eat. Best of all, the communal meal invites lingering around the table.

For an easy appetizer, this Brie fondue can’t be beat for speed and simplicity.  A crusty baguette or sliced cooked sausage are fab accompaniments. Make a meal of it with a green salad and apple and pear slices.

For an Asian-inspired meal, Pho-style fondue (shown here) becomes a two-part meal. For the first course, skewer meats, chicken cubes or shrimp, and assorted vegetables. Simmer in a bubbling broth until cooked, and dip into various sauces. For the second course, pour the concentrated broth over a bowl of rice noodles for a fragrantly steamy finish.

Make sure to take the right precautions if you’ve got small kids at your fondue party. Wee ones can choose what they want to eat, and skewer it themselves if you’re comfortable with that, but the actual cooking is better left up to grown-ups and big kids.

If dessert fondue is fave around your place, finish the meal with fruits, pound cake, marshmallows or cookies dipped in a decadent chocolate fondue, or lighten up with fresh fruit and yogurt dippers. We love these honey-ricotta snacks for a sweet end to the meal.