Harvard University is letting prospective students know their ability to be decent human beings – even in online groups with privacy settings – matters. But it goes beyond Harvard hopefuls, beyond high school students. It…
My Ontario friends with young children are cautiously jubilant this week. Their province has announced a universally accessible child care plan. Ontario is spending $1.6 billion over five years to create thousands of new subsidized…
“Her name is Mayson and she is where our family’s story begins.” Tosh Taylor shared those words on what would have been her daughter’s 10th birthday. Mayson was born at 20 weeks, weighing less than…
I was surprised this week when Moncton City Council voted to replace the outdoor pool at the Moncton East Youth Centre. A refurbished outdoor pool, as promised in 2013, is the solution most of us…
There’s been a lot talk about libraries in Moncton these past two years. Mostly around the question of whether or not the current Moncton Public Library should be moved to be the anchor tenant in…
I was amazed to hear the statistic this week that, on average, North American children are only spending four to seven minutes a day outside playing. Last year, a UK report concluded that more than one in nine children had not visited a park, forest, beach, or other natural environment in more than a year. I’d like to think our numbers in New Brunswick would be a bit more encouraging, but that doesn’t mean we’re not catching up.
Very few parents in this country are opposed to immunizations; only about 2% of the population is anti-vaccine. So why are so many children not getting the recommend vaccinations?
The province is piloting a five hour Kindergarten class for New Brunswick students in 17 schools, beginning in September 2018. The details are sparse, but the intention seems to be focused on improving and expanding the play-based curriculum model, not just more time sitting in class. New Brunswick’s current four-hour day is among the shortest in the country.
I honestly don’t know what we would have done for meals without the kindness of strangers who keep the fridge at the Ronald McDonald Room filled with home-cooked goodness – or those few quiet moments to talk without the beeping of hospital machines filtering through.
Creating a week that promotes an appreciation for the Celtic influences in our province can only help deepen our collective pride and understanding of our history, as well as celebrate our current cultural assets. A slow and steady investment in the Gaelic language and culture of Nova Scotia has boosted the language in that province and created employment opportunities and a culture that has retained and attracted many young Gaelic speakers.
