We had a chance to ask Tool Shed Beer Owner, Graham Sherman, why he sold his sons video game consoles and iPads. We were amazed by his answers. This is our mini interview with him. Village: Why are you doing this? Graham: So first of all....We’ve had a few too many incidents of the boys … Continue reading Father sells his sons video games consoles and replaces it with this…

Two years ago our family decided to break from screens for the summer.  Before I continue, I feel a disclaimer is needed: I don't believe screens are the enemy.  They are not "bad", nor am I encouraging the avoidance of them.  In fact, the way I handle screens with my boys is to be able … Continue reading A Screen Free Summer?

I remember asking my oldest son awhile ago, "What do you remember about me when you were young?” He replied, “I remember you yelling at dad a lot and getting angry with me.” Ouch. I wish I wouldn’t have asked. I am a parent diagnosed with ADHD. Both my boys have been diagnosed with it … Continue reading What Most Don’t Know About ADHD… but need to!

My son was diagnosed with Oppositional Defiance Disorder at the age of 6. Through getting curious to what was underneath his frequent outbursts and strait up, “NO’s” I discovered that what he really wanted was control over the decisions I was making over his life. When you think about it, children who desire a certain … Continue reading The number one thing we need to do with oppositional children (and most aren’t doing)

- by Shelby Leiding On the heels of brain awareness week, we thought it might be fun to take some time to talk about the developing brain, and it what it means for parents, caregivers, and educators to be ‘brain-wise’. With the wealth of research and information that is now available about brain development, it … Continue reading What on earth is going on inside my child’s brain?!

- By Connie Jakab This is a raw one for me to write today. So many heated emotions even as I sit to attempt to write something that sounds like I know what I’m doing, but the truth is I don’t. So many times I feel I have no control. Relate? Is this what parenting … Continue reading Myth 7: A Good Parent Is In Control

- By Shelby Leiding The seventh myth in our series is that good parenting is about raising a happy child. According to Tsabury's The Awakened Family, prioritizing our children's happiness above all else can have some pretty negative consequences - and we're not just talking about dealing with temper tantrums when your child suddenly doesn't … Continue reading Myth 6: Loving my kids means making them happy

Many have heard my story of how my son was hospitalized for depression. Depression and anxiety for my son didn’t show up as sadness, it was expressed as anger and lashing out. This looked like profanity, uttering threats, punching walls, and refusing to cooperate. He felt desperate inside which caused his outward behaviour. All I … Continue reading Myth 5: Bringing them closer means being a doormat

You may have dreamed of what having children looked like when you were younger. A beautiful home with children playing in the backyard, family dinners at the table with laughter, and easy bedtimes with cozy stories and hugs. Then you had kids. It may look more like peeling your children’s fingers off their gaming system … Continue reading Myth 4: There are good parents and bad parents

Let's face it, very few of us are comfortable living in the 'grey'. We like to have a clear sense of who, or what, we're dealing with - which is why we often think in terms of binary categories or labels. Black or white. Girl or boy. Good or bad. Unfortunately for our label-loving selves, … Continue reading Myth 3: There Are Good Kids and Bad Kids