Scroll down for late-in-the-day additions!
Welcome to the 23rd instalment of the Carnival of the Canucks! I volunteered to host this week after reading Patricia Pearson’s column in Macleans a few weeks ago. Pearson’s essay claimed that Moms don’t blog, and I decided to set out to prove her wrong.
While searching for today’s Carnival selections, I started to realize something – in Canada, it seems, it’s simply not cool to be a parent. Our celebrities – actors, writers, artists, politicians – rarely mention their families. Instead, they tuck them away in the background, and hardly mention the existence of spouses and children, unless those spouses or children also happen to be making movies or running for office. While most Canadians could probably name Bill Clinton’s daughter, how many can rattle off the names of Paul Martin’s sons?
In the election campaign that is now, mercifully, over, how many candidates talked about what they were going to do for families?
As the editor of a regional parenting magazine, this concerns me. Families – in every shape and form – are an important part of Canadian society. Our children will be the next generation of movers and shakers, and we deserve some recognition and support for our efforts in raising them to be healthy, productive members of society. The decisions we make as individuals, and as a country, will affect their lives every bit as much as our own.
That said, there are Canadian parents – moms and dads - blogging. And it’s not all about the kids. Many of the following bloggers go beyond the “baby blog” and discuss their views on politics, religion, education and more. They’ve combined the personal with the political, so to speak, and they’ve done a great job. If nothing else, it proves Pearson wrong when she declares, "Mothers don't have time to express themselves."
So now, without further delay, I give you Parents Who Blog.
The Mother of All Blogs is exactly that. Author Ann Douglas is a recent arrival to the blogosphere, but she serves up a nice mix of parenting education, personal musings, and occasional side trips down memory lane. In her own words, “…one minute I'm presenting statistics and factoids galore and the next minute I'm rambling on about my current projects, my angst du jour, etc.”
Andrea gives us A Peek Inside The Fish Bowl, offering quick glimpses of life at home, complete with renovation tales and trips to Canadian Tire.
Another Andrea says at A Typical Life: Just Like Yours, Only Different.
Kim is a close friend of mine. Check out her daily report on the status of her House of Horror.
Lisa at Simple Essentials is an attachment parenting mom from the East Coast. If you don’t believe that creative problems demand creative solutions, then check out what she had to do to keep the little one out of the fridge!
Teresa at the Heart of Canada is blogging from Saskatchewan, and although she makes only vague references to her own children, it’s obvious that all children and families are important to her. She’s got a lot to say about this election of ours too.
Dads are blogging too…
The most recent entry at The Dad Chronicles started an ear worm crawling ‘round my brain. I’ve taught that song to more Kindergarten classes than I can count.
At Dude, What About The Kids, the bemused father of two teens doesn’t hesitate to share his opinions…or the fact that his kids drive him just a wee bit insane.
Christopher over at Insert Witty Title Here shares his travels around beautiful British Columbia, his opinions about the headlines of the day, and more. Though mention of his kids is sporadic, his devotion as a father comes across in the entries where they are talked about.
Alan is one of my favourite Gen X-ers, but it often seems as though he’s trying to hide the fact that he’s a parent. At Gen X At 40, he blogs about politics, soccer, and life in general. The photos he posts of the Kingston area are impressive, as are the musings that accompany them.
John collects his thoughts about parenting, gaming, and other stuff at John’s Blog.
More to come later, so check back this afternoon!
Evening additions...
I call her "The Other Kim", but her blog is called WilsonWorld. It's a glimpse at life in urban Southwestern Ontario, and she blends tales of her family with her opinions on life, the universe and everything - with some random poetry thrown in every now and then!
A blog by TWO parents! Yet another Kim (is there going to be a Carnival of Kims some day?) has probably been featured in the Carnival before, but she moved to brand new digs this week. Formerly The G Spot, she and Darin can now be found dishing up daily commentary over at Bacon and Ehs.
At Two Wheeled Rant, Canuck Kev covers "motorcycles, family, work, life and fun".
Words. Books. Rants. "The banalities and epiphanies of motherhood." That's what Isabella is all about over at Magnificent Octopus.
What do you call a Small Office Home Office Stay At Home Dad? Sohosad! Life in Ontario from a stay at home father of two.
His Typepad profile says The English Guy is the "husband of one, father of two, ruler of none". His mantra is What The Hell Do I Know? Find out what this brand new blogger thinks about in Ontario as he shares an eclectic mix of musings.
And finally, there's one Canadian parent out there who doesn't seem to have a blog but really should, because I think he'd be hilarious. Will Ferguson, why don't you try it?
I got mentioned. Cool. Must have been because of yesterday's post about my Kid of Steel.
Posted by: Kim | June 29, 2004 at 05:04 AM
Great links, now I have a zillion other blogs to read. Thanks Teehee
Posted by: Tiff | June 29, 2004 at 12:38 PM
We have, in my primary adult relationship, a little rule about little people and referencing them on the interweb. Do you think I am paranoid?
Posted by: Alan | June 30, 2004 at 04:45 AM
I think it's very cool that I made your list. Now if I can just get my (dreaded) GST finished in time to take it to the bank today, my Canada Day will be just about perfect.
Posted by: Ann | June 30, 2004 at 06:06 AM
Where in the whole of Canada am I going to find time to read all these?
Posted by: Joe | June 30, 2004 at 11:21 AM
Thank you very much for the mention, that was totally unexpected but very much appreciated.
You did a great job and being as tomorrow is a holiday (Yah!) I can spend some time going through all these links.
Thanks!
Posted by: Kim | June 30, 2004 at 12:26 PM
Great! New summer reading material....
I always loved carnivals!
The noise, the sights, the sounds!
You did not disappoint!
Posted by: kim | June 30, 2004 at 02:45 PM