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Given that inequalities emerge early in life - and seem to persist - it is imperative and urgent that Canada invest, develop and sustain a high-quality early child development framework.

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Kids connect with characters who look like them, even if those characters are sidelined. But during playtime, your kid is the casting director. A toy they can identify with makes them the hero of their own story, and could overcome what we call 'activist's block,' the self-diminishing excuse we hear often: "I'm just one person. What can I do?"

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Postpartum mood disorders are so much more than just depression. Anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, the blues, manic states and, more rarely, psychosis all make up the spectrum. My own experience parallels the experience of so many, and yet has its own unique complications.

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I try to stay calm as my heart starts to race and my legs begin to shake. I feel nauseous and I might throw up. It's happening. Right here, right now, at work. A panic attack. My first one happened in my mid-20s. Thought I was dying. It runs in my family. My father has anxiety and panic disorder.

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You had me, McDonald's... but now you don't. I have defended and promoted the McDonald's brand countless times, but now I feel that I can't. This new allergy notice posted in all Canadian restaurants tells me that anyone with food allergies is not welcome at McDonald's.

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Whether they're your kids or your grandkids, who can resist cuddling up with a great story and delicious snacks with your favourite little person? It's the perfect opportunity to step away from electronics and dig in to some old-fashioned story time and some homemade goodness.

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There is no cure for autism, but we've had solid peer-reviewed evidence for decades that Intensive Behaviour Intervention (IBI) based on the principles of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) can have a dramatic impact on the development of kids with autism. Unfortunately, the treatment is not covered by medicare across the country.

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She inspired Americans to be more caring and respectful toward one-another, as she never treated anyone with less than the utmost respect. For that reason, she won the love, respect and admiration of her fellow Americans. Many First Ladies are respected and admired, it's true, but few were as deeply loved as Mrs. Obama has been.

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In 2016, as our children watched, bullying became legitimate. What we accept without dissent, what we allow to be framed as normal, alters according to our level of desensitization. We have become increasingly desensitized to bullying behaviour.

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Early childhood provides an opportunity to offer nutrition, protection and the stimulation that comes with play to vulnerable children. But far too many children in the world are denied the right to adequate nutrition, protection and the stimulation that comes from talk, play and responsive attention from caregivers.

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I don't want to dwell on the past or on my divorce. I only want to look ahead. I'm grateful that things worked out as they did, even though it's been hard. I hope my kids will be resilient because of this. I hope they will realize how strong they are. How lucky they still are to have two parents who love them very much, even if their parents no longer love one another.

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Sparking such dialogue on a range of topics including more intricate and positive aspects of sexuality -- gender, sexual diversity, knowing your body, consent, respect, open communication, pleasure, mutuality, and the feeling of being loved, to name a few -- may not only be important in lowering sexual risk but also maximizing sexual rewards.

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As a parent, your job is to protect your kids from harm and stories of superbugs and flesh-eating viruses may have you liberally basting your children with hand sanitizer, and cleaning your home with chemicals that promise to send bacteria packing. Well, put down the bleach and put your feet up. As it turns out, dirt is actually good for our kids!

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New Year's often brings about resolutions to lose weight, eat healthy, or spend more time with family. But for new parents, those resolutions may not hit the mark. New parents are tired, overwhelmed, and may feel isolated. These resolutions are perfect for families, whether your bundle of joy arrived before the ball dropped, or is coming your way sometime in 2017.

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I can read, write and speak in two other languages in addition to English and have a strong background in a third. My mother tongue is Urdu. However, my children grew up speaking English. After having many entertaining conversations such as the following with my children, I now realize that English is indeed a difficult language to become proficient in.

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As Canada enters its 150th year, it's a moment in which we can all resolve to invest in nation's greatest resource and asset -- our children. You may not think that our children need protection. As Canadians, we tend to expect that our kids fare quite well compared with their global peers. Yet this simply isn't true.

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2016 has been a transition year for gaming. We're deep enough into the current generation of consoles that developers are focused more on building worlds than figuring out the tech, resulting in some great games.