Episode list

Post Partum Depression . Kids and Swearing . How to Dress your Fussy Child . Active mom video diary Post Partum Depression (PPD) has been getting a lot of media attention recently with the tragic incident of an American woman who drowned her five children and the Toronto doctor who leapt in front of a subway holding her newborn. On Planet Parent's feature report, women who've suffered from PPD talk about their illness. Expert commentators include Dr. Donna Stewart, chair of the Women's Health Department at the University Health Network and Nurse Sharon Thompson, a counselor and support group facilitator at St. Joseph's Women's Health Centre (Toronto). Dad Louis Taylor and his five-year-old daughter Simone swear to tell the truth about kids and profanity on our Reality Check. Don't let dressing small children turn into a battle of will. Moms Diane Coulthard (son Jack is 4) and Brenley Shapiro (who has a 2-year-old) offer some tips on how to get your recalcitrant kid dressed for the day. Our video diary spends a week with Mya Bradford, a stay-at-home mom who's never home. Mya is making the most of her year at home with Amy, and the two are always on the go.

Why does it seem that peanut allergies are so prevalent today? What might you do to prevent your child from developing such an allergy? Planet Parent talks to experts including allergy researcher Dr. Peter Vadas, the Medical Director, Regional Anaphylaxis Clinic, St. Michael's Hospital(Toronto), allergy awareness advocate Dr. Jane Salter, the President of the Anaphylaxis Network of Canada and psychotherapist Beth Goldstein. We also visit with families dealing with the implications of this life-threatening condition. Our Reality Check asks the question, what's with the irresistible urge to prod the pregnant belly? Visibly pregnant mom Catriona Girotti wants to know why complete strangers feel it's okay to poke her protuberance. Planning to hit the road? Don't forget the kids. We join the Hergott family as they hit the road for a hike in the country. Don't forget the applesauce and kids' music. And on our video diary a new mom Nicole Seymour talks candidly about her isolation and loneliness. Since baby Nolan was born, Nicole finds she's missing the whirl of the working world.

As children grow, they are learning how to get along with those around them. Today's feature report takes an in-depth look at how our little ones relate to others and learn to fit in. Our experts include Dr. Alicia F. Lieberman, Professor of Psychology at the University of California, San Fransisco and author of 'The Emotional Life of the Toddler', Parent Educator Beverly Cathcart-Ross of The Parent Education Network, staff psychologist at the Belmont Hill School, Michael Thompson, author of 'Best Friends, Worst Enemies", and Richard Tremblay, Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics, University of Montreal. Entertaining kids is something of a mystery for those who aren't parents. On our Reality Check kid-less grownup Jerry Nicolaou gives clueless adults some tips on keeping little ones entertained. Given birth recently? Wondering how to get back in shape? Today's How-to guide shows us the road to post-partum exercise with a stroller fitness class led by Karen Weinthal of 'Baby and Me". And on our video diary we gave a camera to Philip Bull and Erica Scagliotti to show us their lives as two at-home parents of young Julian. Soon, one of them will have to return to the working world and their story captures the ongoing debate over who will get to remain with the baby.

It's the first big decision most parents will make about their child's education: which pre-school will be the right fit for your kid. Today's feature report looks at three different models of pre-school and talks with advocates of each: Gail O'Gorman of Taddle Creek Montessori school, Lorrie Huggins manager of the YMCA Family Development Centre's "Play to Learn" preschool, and Georgia Bowen director of the East Toronto Creative Preschool. Experts Martha Friendly, from the Childcare resource and Research Unit at the Centre for Urban and Community Studies, University of Toronto and Ann Douglas, author of 15 books including 'The Mother of All Baby Books" talk about what to look for in a preschool. Then we talk to a couple of families about their own searches for an appropriate preschool. Our Reality Check looks at the thorny issue of fitting the birth of a baby into the busy calendar of sporting events. Steve Pratt and his wife Lisa are trying to plan a baby but Steve doesn't want to miss any major sporting events. He visits with professional athletes and ardent fans for some perspective. Knowing how to prevent choking and what to do if your infant or child starts choking is the focus of the How-to segment. Peter Alexandrou of first aid and safety services at the Red Cross talks about this important issue. When Elizabeth McKenzie was 7 months pregnant, her water broke and she delivered baby Emma. Emma is now 15 months old and starting to move into the wider world. Though her mum and dad have trepidations about her health and exposing her to germs. We gave the McKenzie family a video camera for this story of Emma's coming out.

In the last thirty years, the role of fathers has shifted dramatically. Once benign patriarchs with little involvement in the day-to-day upbringing of their children, many dads are now embracing the joys of childrearing. We talked to stay-at-home dad and author David Eddie ("Housebroken") about life with his two sons. We also hear from experts Des Glynn who teaches 'The Child in History' at Ryerson University in Toronto, where he is the Program Director of Continuing Education and child psychologist and University of Toronto Professor Emiritus Otto Weininger. Lisa Nethercott, mom of 2 1/2 year old Montana offers a Reality Check on the competitive world of children's fashions: designer or discount, does it really matter? Many of us are uncomfortable talking about death, and discussing it with our children can be intimidating. On our how-to, author Barbara Coloroso ("Parenting through Crisis: Helping Kids in Times of Loss, Grief and Change.") offers some solid tips on how to explain death to your children. And our video diary reveals the joys and disappointments of life with an autistic child. When Matthew McCreary was 2 years old, he suddenly stopped communicating with those around him. Now he's three and diagnosed as autistic. We gave the McCreary family a video camera for this inspiring story.

In the last 40 years, the conventional wisdom on what age children should be toilet trained at has gone from 18-month-olds to three-year-olds. Today, parents are under conflicting pressures to let their children operate on their own schedule on the one hand, yet many preschools insist that children be trained before enrollment. Renowned Harvard-based pediatrician and author Dr. T. Berry Brazelton talks about helping your kid with toilet training. We also hear from Dr. Alicia Lieberman, Director of the Child Trauma Research Project at San Francisco General Hospital and Dr. Fabian Gorodzinsky, Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Western Ontario (London) and a community pediatrician, also weigh in with their expert opinions. Several moms also share their successes and failures. The truth about time-outs. Dad Alex Sopinka on his battles with young Zoe. Dr. Jack Newman, pediatrician and breastfeeding expert, talks about how to breastfeed. And the Philip family shows us life before and after the birth of their new baby (they're in for a surprise).

Once upon a time, women were fully sedated for childbirth. By the 1970's, there was a backlash against drugs and medical intervention. Since then, women have moved towards the middle-ground while still maintaining control over the birth process. In this report, on the state of childbirth at the beginning of the 21st century, we hear from Ann Douglas, author of 'The Mother of All Baby Books", Leslie Chandler, Child Birth Educator at Humber College and the Women's College Hospital and Hypnosis instructor Shawn Gallagher on what women are looking for today. Then several moms share their birth stories. Mom Lana Ogilvy offers a reality check on mother/daughter bonding. Children's book authors Dennis Lee and Loris Lesynski offer lessons in 'How to read to children'. And busy single mom Kim Gilbert loves her kid and she loves her job. She just doesn't have enough time for both of them. This week's video diary shows a day in her life.

Language acquisition is one of the most fascinating stages of children's development. How do children learn to talk? When should parents be concerned about their child's progress? On this report we talk to experts Dona Matthews, a psychologist who is involved in early child development studies at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education; Deborah Anderson, Director of Anderson Speech Consultants and Dr. Ronald Barr, Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry at McGill university, Head of the Development Program at the Montreal Children's Hospital, president of the Society of Developmental and Behavioural Pediatrics. We also hear from several parents and Svetlana Stoian, who teaches french to youngsters. On our reality check, a group of working moms and stay-at-home moms gather to talk about their conflicting feelings towards one another's lives. Pediatric dentist Dr. Barry Rubinoff offers tips on How to teach your children to brush their teeth. Then, on our video diary, the story of the Madore family: Leo and Maryann adopted Tao-tao from China when they were in their mid-50's and say it's the best thing they've ever done.

Adoption is an emotional roller coaster for prospective parents. In recent years, more and more parents are choosing to adopt internationally. This report looks at what options are available to adoptive parents. We talk to experts Pat Fenton, the Executive Director of the Adoption Council of Ontario, Social worker Jan Silverman, program specialist for Support and Education for Infertility and Related Reproductive Issues, Women's & Sunnybrook Health Centre and the Coordinator of Specialized client services for the Regional Women's Health Centre at Women's College Hospital. We also hear emotional and touching stories from two pairs of adoptive parents. A mom of four kids us under five offers a reality check on feeding your fussy kids. Harvard University-based child-rearing guru and pediatrician Dr. T. Berry Brazelton talks about how to cope with kids and lying. And the first of a two part video diary series: Sarah May and Julius have two sets of parents sharing custody. Both their birth parents are with new partners. We see how this unusual custody arrangement works.

The percentage of children who are overweight has more than doubled since the early 1970's, according to the Atlanta Center for Disease Control. What has caused this troubling statistic and what can parents do about it? Planet Parent sought answers to these questions from Dr. Diane Finegood, a Diabetes Scientist with the Canadian Institute of Health Research, obesity expert Dr. William Dietz, Director of the Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity in the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta and medical geneticist Dr. Alan Bernstein, President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Our reality check brings you a survival guide to play-dates. Hint: have lots of juice on hand and get a firm pickup time from your little guests' parents. Parting is such sweet sorrow, and leaving our little ones with a caregiver can give rise to separation anxiety on their part. Dr. Alicia Leiberman, Director of the Child Trauma Research Project at San Francisco General Hospital talks about How to alleviate the impact of this perfectly normal reaction. And on our video diary, part two of the story of the Jarvie Fillmore twins. Their parents, both with new partners share custody of the twins. Recently, each of these families gave birth to a new baby boy. Now the twins have two brand new baby brothers in their lives. We check in and see how their world is changing.

This week on Planet Parent a report on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Guests include Dr. Russell Barkley, director of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Medical Centre and author of "Taking Charge of ADHD: The Complete, Authoritative Guide for Parents and Dr. Lynda Thompson Child Psychologist and co-author of "The ADD Book". We look at the causes and available treatments for ADHD and speak with a family whose little boy is currently managing the condition. Reality Check: Just who's cleaning the house: mom or dad? Dr. Richard Barr, Head of Child Development Program at the Montreal Children's Hospital and two families, talk about How to bond with your baby. Crystal Perryman-Mark and her boyfriend Kevin had their first daughter five years ago, while they were both still in high school. Since then, they've stayed together and had another baby girl. Our video diary joins this family as they plan their future and live each day.

On this week's Planet Parent, our feature report looks at the increasing prevalence of asthma and some startling studies on what may be responsible for this increase. We hear from Dr. Soren Pedersen, one of the world's foremost experts in pediatric asthma and an adjunct professor at the Firestone Institute for Respiratory health and Dr. Mark Greenwald, Vice President of the Asthma Society of Canada. Two families talk about how they are coping with their child's asthma. Author Patricia Pearson, mom of a son and daughter, talks about the differences between little boys and little girls on our Reality Check. Etiquette expert Lynn Waugh on How to Teach Your Child Manners. And on our video diary, the Ahmad-Sandler family a melange of Muslim and Jewish traditions in one household.

Today, 20% of western families only have one child. Contrary to what was once popular belief, these children are not suffering socially from a lack of siblings. We talk to Dr. Lynn Oldershaw, assistant professor of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto and the director of research and new media at "Invest in Kids". We also talk to several families where parents were only children or had several siblings about how they decided to configure their own families. Don't let a crying baby drive you mad. We've got some strategies for how to cope with a colicky baby. On our video diary, the Niles family has been taking in foster children for years as well as raising a brood of their own. They bring us this look at their life as a large family.