If you're a parent looking for insightful and entertaining information about raising children, you've never had more options at your fingertips.
While our forebears had to be content with Dr. Spock and What To Expect When You’re Expecting, today, there are scores of websites, newsletters, RSS and Twitter feeds to feed your hunger for parenting info. Most importantly, they cover off the many different aspects and ages of parenting, with Canadian sites ranging from BabyCenter.ca to the more general Today's Parent and SavvyMom.ca.
But it's the individuals who can really set themselves apart, and despite the fact that almost every parenting blogger has a Twitter feed, they don’t all get a Twitter gold star. The best parenting tweeters offer up more than just shameless self-promotion — they collect the coolest content, while helping connect you with an extended community of like-minded people with kids.
These Canadian Twitter feeds are well worth a follow: some are informative, some are funny, some are thought-provoking, but all are #awesome. Oh, and to make things easier for you, we've also created a custom Twitter list you can follow yourself:
Kathy Buckworth:
WHO: Kathy Buckworth is a writer, speaker, Huffington Post Canada blogger, who’s written a half-dozen funny books about the quirks and foibles of modern parenthood (including I Am So the Boss Of You).
TWEETS ABOUT: Wry, amusing observations and quick hits of common sense advice
FOLLOW:@KathyBuckworth
Annie Urban:
WHO: Ottawa-based Annie Urban is a “parent, feminist and humanist” who runs the popular PhdInParenting.com.
TWEETS ABOUT: At 80,000+ tweets and counting, she is a social media maven (to say the least), tweeting and retweeting provocative, thoughtful posts on everything from children’s mental health to the sexualization of pre-teen girls.
FOLLOW:@phdinparenting
Buzz Bishop:
WHO: The man behind @DadCamp is Buzz Bishop, a Calgary-based writer, broadcaster and father of two.
TWEETS ABOUT: He links to his always-compelling pieces about modern fatherhood on Babble.com, as well as intriguing content from around the web. If you’re looking for think pieces and hot topics, this is your man.
FOLLOW:@dadcamp
Tammi Roy:
WHO: Alberta-based Tammi Roy shares her adventures in parenting twins (plus one more) on her website MyOrganizedChaos.net.
TWEETS ABOUT: Her tweets are a lighthearted combination of kid-friendly recipes, fun giveaways and travel deals, with glimpses into her family life and travelling adventures.
FOLLOW:@MyChaos
Tannis Miller:
WHO: Alberta-based blogger Tanis Miller started writing to cope with her grief after the loss of her son, and has poured her thoughts out with startling candour and biting wit ever since. As well as the mother of a special needs child, she’s a fierce advocate for children with disabilities.
TWEETS ABOUT: Miller’s tweets are a mix of self-deprecation, self-esteem and sassiness — which might explain her legions of followers.
FOLLOW:@redneckmommy
Erica Ehm:
WHO: If you are of a certain X generation, you will remember Erica Ehm as a perky, punky MuchMusic VJ. These days she is a parenting blog powerhouse with YummyMummyClub.ca, billed as “a sexy online magazine that speaks to the woman in every mom.” Ehm and her team are also Huffington Post Canada bloggers.
TWEETS ABOUT: Ehm tweets the latest parenting news, covering topics from bullying to sex to home organization.
FOLLOW:@YummyMummyClub
Amy Morrison:
WHO: Amy Morrison is a freelance art director and graphic designer and mother of two boys.
TWEETS ABOUT: Debunking common pregnancy myths, lighthearted pregnancy humour (and well, the truth) along with interesting reads.
FOLLOW:@pregnantchicken
Hannah Sung:
WHO: Compared to some of the aforementioned power tweeters (with tens of thousands of tweets to their name), Hannah Sung is somewhat of a newcomer. The former MuchMusic VJ is currently a Globe and Mail video journalist and iVillage parenting blogger.
TWEETS ABOUT: A fresh, smart perspective to share — not just on parenting matters, but arts, culture, news and views.
FOLLOW:@HannahSung
Ann Douglas:
WHO: Parenting writer Ann Douglas has been plugged into the Canadian parenting scene for years — and it shows. She’s the Peterborough, Ont. based author of more than 30 books in the “Mother Of All…” parenting series, a widely-read columnist, speaker and radio host, and this expertise and knowledge speaks volumes in her Twitter feed.
TWEETS ABOUT: Latest in parenting news, from nutrition and health to mom guilt
FOLLOW: @anndouglas
Anu Sandhu Bhamra:
WHO:Anu Sandhu Bhamra, a journalist, mom and new lover of yoga.
TWEETS ABOUT: Figuring out a Canadian identity, women's and girls' rights, and tidbits on parenting.
FOLLOW:@SandhuBhamra
Maria Stanley:
WHO: Maria Stanley, a stay-at-home mother and blogger who (like all of us) gets bored sometimes, and isn't afraid to write about it — but never bored of her kids, of course.
TWEETS ABOUT: Moments in the kitchen, the latest in entertainment and travelling.
FOLLOW:@BOREDmommy
Leanne Shirtliffe:
WHO: Leanne Shirtliffe, humour writer, Huffington Post Canada blogger and an "exhausted mom" to eight-year-old twins. So yes, you'll definitely see the lighter (and hilarious) side of motherhood.
TWEETS ABOUT: Funny parenting moments (like her 8-year-old doing a headstand at the bottom of a stairwell), along with parenting articles.
FOLLOW:@LShirtliffe
5 Minutes For Mom:
WHO: “Bringing moms together” is the motto of Vancouver-based identical twins Janice Croze and Susan Carraretto, the minds behind 5MinutesforMom.com.
TWEETS ABOUT: Clearly tapped in to the parenting scene in North America, they are fantastic aggregators, tweeting a mix of recipes, giveaways, décor tips and product shout-outs for busy parents. (Check them out on their great Pinterest page too).
FOLLOW:@5minutesformom
Nadia Carriere:
WHO: Nadia Carriere is the Ontario-based maven behind chic kids’ fashion website ChildMode.com.
TWEETS ABOUT: Latest in trends and fashion for the small set, plus travel tips (especially when it comes to Disney sojourns).
FOLLOW:@ChildMode
Haley Overland:
WHO: Haley Overland, mother and editor and writer at Today's Parent. (She also tweets on behalf of @TodaysParent )
TWEETS ABOUT: Cheeky parenting tips, an insight to the latest in parenting news and some great RTs.
FOLLOW:@cheaty